Through the Looking Glass
by Divinia Serit
Summary: “Care to enlighten me on what the hell that was, Colonel O’Neill?” Lisbon asked angrily. Mentalist/Stargate: SG1 crossover- will focus on Jane/Lisbon, but will also include Jack/Sam AU NOW COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, everyone! This story is one that has been running through my head for a very long time and I actually have a plan for it. If I stick with the plan, it should be quite a long adventure. It is a Mentalist/Stargate SG1 crossover, but will focus mainly on Lisbon and Jane. Pairings will be Lisbon/Jane and Jack/Sam. I think both couples have a lot in common, and hopefully this will be interesting to y'all!**

**Due to the craziness in my life over the next few weeks, I'll try to post as often as I can-hopefully every other day at least! It's not typed out yet –all in my head. Don't worry if you don't know much about Stargate. You can learn about it with our favorite CBI agents in the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist or Stargate SG1. **

Chapter 1

Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon sighed as she massaged her temples, carefully avoiding the bruise that was spreading down her cheek. She could feel the migraine starting in the back of her head. Another case closed, followed by another verbal lashing from her boss over the latest escapades of _her_ consultant. Minelli agreed that he got results, but Patrick Jane's unconventional methods were going to cost her either her job or her life if he didn't settle down. This time it was almost her life.

A young girl had been murdered, her body carelessly beaten and butchered by her foster parents. Thoughts of her own past made her reckless while Jane spouted off pleasant observations, oblivious to her pain. He didn't know what she had been through. No one did. They had gone back to the house on a whim based on one of Jane's wacky theories. They questioned the mother and Jane pressured the woman to tell the truth and give her husband up. Distracted, Lisbon never noticed the man behind her.

Jane watched her shift painfully at her desk while the other agents glared at him. He knew they blamed him, even though she didn't. He blamed himself. She never got hurt. She was never distracted until he joined the team. It was hard to remember she was as human as the rest of them. He knew she blamed herself, knew she was mentally berating herself for being caught in a moment of weakness. He watched as she winced as she reached for a file. Standing up, he headed to her office.

"Let me take you home," he said softly. She looked up at him then, green eyes meeting blue, as she searched his face for a secret motive. Finding only concern, she gave a slight nod. He frowned at her complacency. She must be in pain to agree so quickly. Wordlessly she stood, exhaling deeply through her gritted teeth. The others looked up as she pulled her door closed, locking it.

"Head home and get some sleep," she said firmly as she followed Jane down the stairs. She didn't argue as he led her to his car and opened the passenger door. She slid in slowly and rested her head against the cool glass of the window. He observed her out of the corner of his eye as she stared at the passing lights. The feeling of dread in his stomach worsened. She wasn't herself.

He followed her up to her apartment as she fumbled with her keys to unlock the door. Pushing it open, she didn't even glance back as she stepped into the darkness obviously intending for him to follow. He closed the door behind him, locking it and flipped on the nearest light switch. He wasn't sure where she had gone so he stayed in the living room. He took a moment to analyze the few personal effects she had carefully placed around the room.

A single photograph was framed on a shelf. A woman was holding the hand of a laughing little girl as they sat on a dock with their feet touching the water. He smiled and turned to the bookcase. Running his thumb along the spines he paused at a large book on theoretical astrophysics. It looked as if it had never been read, but it must hold some sentimental value to be so out of place surrounded by classic novels.

Startled, he pulled his hand back as she reentered the room in yoga pants and a tank top. She gave him a small smile as she caught him analyzing the scientific book. Silently, she walked to the kitchen and returned with a bottle of whisky and two glasses.

"A childhood friend of mine wrote that," she said as she gestured to the book. "I haven't heard from her in years, but she was my best friend growing up." He didn't say anything as he sat next to her on the couch. He just wanted to be there for her. She downed her first glass and then refilled it. "I'll be fine. This one just hit a little close to home."

"I'm here if you want to talk about it," he said softly. She shrugged and finished the second glass while Jane still held his untouched glass.

"My mom died when I was 13. Drunk driver. My father damn near killed me and my brothers before killing himself." She paused, swirling her drink. "My brothers and I were placed into foster care for a few years after that. I wasn't exactly the most well-behaved teen and got shuffled around a lot. Jane, I've been abused and beaten. I'm damaged, but I was able to survive. That little girl…" she trailed off as Jane reached for her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers.

"It's okay, love," he said as he wrapped his arms around her holding her close. He was such a jackass for putting her through more pain. He had only known her a short time, but she was already his best friend. He felt hatred run through him at the thought of her childhood. No child should have to grow up like that.

"I'll be fine," she said quietly. "This was just a hard one. Normally, I hide it better. You're just too damn observant."

He held her until her breathing evened out into peaceful slumber and then scooped her up gently. She was too light, he thought. He'd pay closer attention to her for the next few weeks. He gently laid her on the bed, tucking her in like a child. She'd be back to herself in the morning he thought as he headed back to the couch.

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She woke up feeling well rested for the first time in months. Her ribs didn't ache as much as they did yesterday. Remembering the events of the night before, she closed her eyes in embarrassment. Who knew what he thought of her. She never meant to tell him that. At least she didn't have a hangover. That was a plus. Walking into the kitchen she smiled at the sight of him at her table. Putting down his newspaper, his eyes searched her face as he returned her smile. Picking up the coffee he had fixed for her, she headed back to her room to get ready for the day.

"Thank you for last night," she said when they arrived at the office. He ran his thumb over her hand.

"Anytime."

The other three drifted in slowly. The atmosphere in the room was returning to normal as the other agents seemed to forgive Jane at the sight of their boss acting like herself. Things were almost back to normal. Cho teased Rigsby. Rigsby stared love struck at Van Pelt, and Lisbon watched it all secretly amused as she finished her phone call.

"Alright people, we have a new case." Everyone looked up as she walked out of her office with a new file. Her brows were furrowed as she tried to make sense of what she had just been told.

"The local police have already processed the scene. We're being asked to lend some insight due to unusual details." Lisbon held up her hand as the others started to ask questions. "We have what appears to be a fight of some sort- may be gang related. Two bodies were recovered alongside several piles of ash. Local PD has taken possession of several unknown weapons. We need to determine threat level and decided if the FBI needs to be brought in. Van Pelt- I need you to stay here. Run the details through the system and see if you can find any similar MOs. The rest of you, head out."

Lisbon threw the SUV keys to Cho as they headed to the car. Driving downtown, she continued to flip through the file in her lap. Rigsby and Jane spoke in low tones behind her and she was tempted to turn around and see what they were up too. Searching through the bag at her feet, she pulled out two aspirin and swallowed them dry. Cho watched her worriedly out of the corner of his eye. She never took pain medicine. Cho parked near the yellow tape, as they climbed out of the car. Lisbon flashed her badge at the deputy holding the perimeter and headed towards the Sherriff. She frowned as she analyzed the scene that did not make sense.

"There should be more bodies," she mentioned to Cho. "It doesn't add up." The team looked up at the sound of nearby helicopters. A van pulled up quickly and two men and a woman exited in combat gear brushing past the deputy. The older man who appeared to be the leader walked up to Cho.

"We'll take possession from here. You're no longer needed." Cho stood stoically as he took a step back to allow Lisbon room to move forward.

"Excuse me, I'm the Agent in charge and this is my case. The military has no jurisdiction here. Your team will stand down." The man raised an eyebrow at the petite woman in front of him. He obviously wasn't expecting a woman to be in charge, especially a spitfire like this one.

"This is a matter of National Security, and we are authorized to take over with any means necessary."

"Asshole," Lisbon muttered, glaring as another man joined the first.

"We're going to need some identification," Cho stated as he stood at Lisbon's side.

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Colonel Jack O'Neill surveyed the scene as they drove up cataloging every person he saw. No one appeared to be a threat, but then again, these types of weapons were not supposed to be out of Area 51. Someone had leaked information and stolen weapons and was still out there.

"I hate cops," he said to no one in particular. Major Samantha Carter, his second in command smiled.

"I'm sure they'll hate you as well, sir." He smirked as they climbed out of the van and headed towards a small group of people.

Colonel Jack O'Neill stared at the woman in front of him with an eyebrow raised. He wasn't used to total disregard for his orders. He felt Daniel shift beside him, and he gestured to the linguist.

"I'm Dr. Daniel Jackson and this is Colonel Jack O'Neill. I apologize for Jack's behavior, but its imperative you turn over your investigation to the Air Force."

"I'm Senior Agent Lisbon and this is Agent Cho. I'm going to need a better reason than this pissing contest to hand over my case. Excuse me, I have evidence to tag." Daniel watched with a smirk as Agent Lisbon turned and walked towards a blond man.

"Good job, Jack. You're winning personality has once again paved the way for diplomacy."

"Shut up, Space monkey."

"Sir, you need to see this," Major Carter said as she walked over to her commanding officer. Jack watched as Agent Lisbon headed back over to them, blond haired man in tow. She stopped suddenly, eyeing his 2IC. Sam caught the woman's gaze and looked up, stunned.

"Sam?"

"Tess?"

"Tess??" The CBI agents looked at their boss.

"Carter?" Jack gave his 2IC a look that clearly wanted her to elaborate. Jane looked around the group.

"Jane!" he said pointing to himself. Lisbon rolled her eyes as the tall blond woman walked up to her with a smile.

"What did I miss?" Sam Carter asked as she neared the group.

"Agent Lisbon, here, called Jack an asshole," Daniel said with a grin. Sam smiled. A loud static sound suddenly filled the air.

"Get down!" Jack yelled as the teams took cover. Lisbon paused to double check her team's safety when she saw a weapon sticking out from the alley. It was pointed at Jane.

"Over there," she yelled to Sam as she sprinted towards Jane. A large blue flash hit them both before she could knock him out of the way. Cho's eyes widened at the still forms of Lisbon and Jane as the Air Force officers quickly apprehended the suspect. Checking to make sure the coast was clear; Sam ran over to the fallen two and was quickly joined by Cho and Rigsby.

"What the hell was that," Lisbon asked as she tried to sit up. Her shoulder felt like it was on fire. Jane began to stir beside her.

"I feel like I've been hit by a truck," he slurred slightly.

"It's your own damn fault for not paying attention," she replied much to the amusement of those around her.

"Just sit here and take some deep breaths. It'll pass," Sam said as the others looked at her suspiciously. Lisbon's eyes focused on the man who was headed their way.

"Care to enlighten me on what the hell that was, Colonel O'Neill?" she asked angrily.


	2. Chapter 2

**I forgot to mention in my last Author's Note that this will likely be AU for you Stargate fans. To fit my storyline, this will take place around Season 7 of SG1 but will follow the current timeline for the Mentalist. (Confusing, I know!) I really wanted to stick with the original SG1. Also, this chapter may be pretty boring because I need to explain the basics of Stargate to the CBI. It's rather hard to explain 10 years of a scifi show! I did not write most of Daniel's briefing. It was pieced together from various episode transcripts and from the pilot episode- Children of the Gods so it may sound familiar. I don't think I could explain it on my own! As I don't have time to rewatch the first 6 seasons, I've been using StargateWiki to answer most of my questions. I am trying to keep everything as close to canon as possible. The point of this is I'm sorry that it doesn't follow the proper Stargate timeline! It's my creative license! Thanks for giving it a chance everyone! Hope you enjoy! **

Chapter 2

Jack O'Neill expertly analyzed the woman on the ground. She winced as she moved her shoulder and her breathing was a little shaky. The man beside her still looked stunned from catching the brunt of the blast. It wouldn't hurt for either of them to see a doctor, and besides, he didn't think Agent Lisbon would quietly let go of this case now. She and her team would be more of a hazard searching for answers on their own. Ignoring Lisbon's question, he sighed and glanced at Carter.

"Carter, call Hammond and let him know we're bringing home a few strays. Let him know we may need Janet. Daniel, tell the marines they're taking the van back after the scene is secured."

"Yes, sir." Sam gave Lisbon's had a reassuring squeeze and moved away from the group for privacy as Daniel headed towards another group of men in combat gear.

"Care to fill us in?" Cho asked as he kept an eye on his boss and Jane.

"Hope you're ready to travel. We're headed to Colorado. General Hammond will be able to answer your questions," Jack answered succinctly. The General was going to be thrilled… more civilians. He turned away, ignoring the gaping mouths of the agents behind him.

"Rigsby, tell Van Pelt to grab our bags from the closet and meet us here urgently." Lisbon ordered with a much clearer head.

"I think we're being kidnapped," Jane muttered beside her as he gingerly sat up.

"You okay?" She asked looking him over.

"Good grief woman, you sure pack a punch. I think you bruised me."

"At least you're alive," she shot back as Cho helped her to her feet. Dizziness swept over her and she slid back to the ground. "On second thought, I'll stay here. Cho, follow O'Neill. Something's not right and I want to stay informed."

"Yes, boss." Cho walked past Sam as she finished her phone call. She smiled as she sat next to Lisbon.

"I'm sorry about all this. Ignore the Colonel. He's just peeved things didn't follow the plan." Sam glanced at Jane. "I'm Major Samantha Carter."

"Patrick Jane, although forgive me for not shaking your hand." Sam let out a chuckle.

"The tingling will fade soon. Thankfully, you didn't suffer a second hit." Lisbon eyed the woman beside her.

"What would that have done?"

"A second shot kills," Sam said shortly. Lisbon frowned as she pondered over the events of the day. "How have you been, Tess?" she said after a pause.

"Working my way up in the CBI- nothing stops the crime in California," Lisbon said studying her childhood friend. "And you? I thought you were headed for NASA?"

"Nope. I ended up following dad's footsteps in the Air Force and I'm working with Deep Space Telemetry."

"That's a lie," Jane said as he joined the conversation. "It's obviously a cover for whatever just happened here." Sam just gave him a cryptic smile as Lisbon glared at him.

"Ignore him; he doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."

"He reminds me of Daniel actually," Sam glanced at the man next to Jack.

"Okay kids, time to head out." Jack called as Van Pelt's car flew into the parking lot.

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Two hours later, the group was walking towards the Cheyenne Mountain entrance. Cho frowned as he studied the giant mountain in front of them. What was the Air Force hiding in a mountain? This day was getting weirder and weirder. He glanced at the others. Lisbon was intently staring at the backs of Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter, while Jane looked like a kid in a candy store. Rigsby and Van Pelt seemed very nonchalant about the whole thing. They were probably just relieved to be out of the office. As they headed through the main entrance, Jane turned to Lisbon.

"Down the rabbit hole," he said with a smile.

"Shut up, Jane," Lisbon said as she focused on her surroundings.

The group entered an elevator and silently went down about 15 floors. Daniel kept looking around hoping to make small talk, but a glare from Jack put an end to that. They exited and passed through another checkpoint before entering another elevator and descending several more floors. Leaving the elevator, the team glanced around the busy intersection. Various personnel sped around them, most of them acknowledging Jack, Daniel, and Sam and looking curiously at the visitors.

After walking down a twisting corridor, they entered a larger room. A large metal staircase on their left headed downward and glass windows were covered in star charts of some sort nearby an office. Another conference room was in front of them holding a long table. The windows in this room were covered by metal. Jack gestured for them to take a seat as another man entered the room while Sam and Jack stood at attention.

"At ease. Welcome to Stargate Command. I'm General George Hammond, CO of the SGC. You already know Colonel Jack O'Neill, Major Samantha Carter, and Dr. Daniel Jackson." Rigsby made a move to comment, but a glare from Lisbon quickly silenced him. Thankfully, Jane decided to play along and behave for once. Lisbon stood up, and gestured around the table.

"I'm Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon. This is my team: Agent Kimball Cho, Agent Wayne Rigsby, Agent Grace Van Pelt, and Patrick Jane. Thank you for having us."

"First, you will all need to sign Non-Disclosure forms. What you will hear today is a matter of National Security, and the penalty is treason. Then, I'll turn the briefing over to Dr. Jackson." General Hammond handed out several packets of information waiting for the agents to sift through them. After collecting the signed papers, Daniel stood up. As he talked, he changed the pictures to show what he was talking about.

"In 1928, Dr. Langford found in a dig near Giza an artifact made of material not found on Earth. It had been covered inscriptions of no known language. The US government has had it since then, studying it and trying to find out what it was and what it did. They did all sort of experiments but met only with limited results. In 1994, Katherine Langford, Dr. Langford's daughter, attended one of my lectures. Afterwards, she offered me the choice to prove my theories right."

"And just what were your theories?" Van Pelt asked curiously.

"I believed that the Egyptian Pyramids were landing sites for aliens." Rigsby choked and almost fell out of his chair, while the others just looked baffled.

"I came to the mountain to work with what we call the 'Stargate'. After much research and a bit of luck, we were also able to conclude that the seven symbols on the middle of the cover stones were not hieroglyphs but actually star constellations. Now, as you probably know to find a destination within any three dimensional-space you need six points and to chart a course you need seven – the last being the point of origin. The seven symbols found on the cover stones were laid out in a particular pattern, like an address. Once we verified that those symbols were also present on the Gate itself, we theorized that if they were dialed in that order we would be able to establish a stable wormhole between our Gate and wherever the other point was."

"You're saying that we're able to use this 'gate' to connect to other planets?" Cho asked skeptically.

"That's exactly it! We proceeded to dial the correct sequence and establish a stable wormhole. W discovered a chamber with a chart of other gate addresses linking gates across the galaxy. We found that we're not alone in this galaxy. In fact, we've found other humans. We suspected they were abducted by Ra when he left the pyramids."

"Ra? As in the Egyptian god?" Jane asked enthralled.

"The same. He belonged to a parasitic race that needs hosts to survived. Somehow, they had come to Earth and had taken human hosts from the early Egyptian population. They had also taken advantage of the Egyptian religion and had taken the roles of gods, enslaving the population until they rebelled."

"Those weapons were alien weren't they?" Lisbon asked, as she tried to absorb the information she had just heard. She was sure this was still one big conspiracy. There was no way this could be real. Alien-that sounded odd coming out of her mouth.

Jack sighed when the klaxon alerts went off. "Incoming wormhole!" could be heard throughout the base. With a smile, he decided that a wormhole was much better proof. Daniel received permission to open the blast doors from General Hammond and the metal covering the windows started to rise. They opened just in time to see the last chevron locking on. After the final chevron locked on and the light turned red, a great whoosh of a water-like substance rushed out of the middle of the Gate; it then immediately went back in and the center of the ring-like artifact was covered in what appeared to be a rippling wall of water. A few seconds later, a man appeared and then another and another, until all four members were back on base. The agents turned to look at each other and then back at the men who had appeared from a place where moments before there had been nothing. They then looked back at the Gate as the wall of water disappeared as rapidly as it had appeared. Nothing was behind it.

"Oh my God," Lisbon said looking pale.

"Any little grey men?" Jane asked as Rigsby stifle a laugh.


	3. Chapter 3

**WOW! The season finale was awesome. I'm pretty happy although I hate waiting till the fall! Sigh. Anyways, a big thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing! I appreciate the encouragement! I'll be re-categorizing this story in the next day or so-moving it to the crossover category. If you don't have it on alert, look for it under Mentalist crossovers. This will be a team fic for probably another chapter and then a major event will happen making it Jack, Sam, Lisbon, and Jane. I know you're all excited for that! Hehehehe. It's funny though- the more I write this, the more similarities I think of between the personal lives of the characters of both shows. It's really interesting! Y'all enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. I write for pure personal enjoyment!**

Chapter 3

Patrick Jane smiled as he watched Teresa Lisbon stare into her coffee as if the coffee would tell her how to solve the world's problems. The agents were sitting around a table in the commissary digging into dinner. Well, Rigsby was digging into his dinner. The others gazed at the food in front of them still comprehending the truth of alien existence. Van Pelt gave her meatloaf a hard look. Granted, meatloaf was probably alien, but that wasn't the point. Sam was sitting by Lisbon waiting to answer any questions the others might have. He turned as Daniel came up beside him.

"You're all taking this better than I thought," the archeologist commented as he observed the group.

"We've been through a lot. I guess after seeing people that do unspeakable things, aliens don't seem that farfetched. Sometimes, we hope there's another reason for the evils in this world."

Daniel glanced at the man beside him mulling over the truth of the consultant's statement. Jane was lost in his own thoughts, his gaze lingering on Agent Lisbon. A small smile flickered over Daniel's features. He recognized that look- longing mixed with forbidden love. The moment broke as Jack slipped by them and set a bowl of blue jello in front of Sam before sitting in the empty chair across from her. Jane smiled wistfully as he watched the blond woman flash the Colonel a bright smile.

"He's in love with her, isn't he," Jane asked quietly. Daniel sprayed coffee everywhere earning him an amused look from the table. Waving off Sam's concerned look, he studied Jane.

"It's against regulations." He quietly stated neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Jane's statement.

"They hide it very well. No one else would even guess, but I'm sure it's hard on them. He has a tragic past, keeps his personal life private. They probably don't realize the extent of the other's feelings. He doesn't think he's good enough for her. He wants her to be happy, but doesn't realize she is happy…with him. They won't act on it though. They're too loyal to their duty as officers." Jane paused at the other man's astonished expression.

"You could tell all that from a bowl of jello?"

"I used to make very good money pretending to be a psychic," Jane said with a shrug. Daniel opened his mouth to ask more questions, but was quickly interrupted by the arrival of a tall black man with a gold emblem on his forehead. Van Pelt stared in awe. This was not a man you wanted to run into alone on a dark night.

"Hey Teal'c, buddy!" Jack stood up with a grin.

"O'Neill," he said with a slight nod of his head.

"Teal'c here's an alien!" Rigsby choked on the meatloaf he was inhaling as the CBI agents all turned to give Teal'c an apprising look. The big man raised an eyebrow.

"Teal'c has been with us, SG1, since the beginning." Daniel started.

"SG1?" Cho asked.

"The frontline team comprised of myself, Jack, Sam, and Teal'c," Daniel answered. "He is what you'd call a Jaffa. Jaffa were bred as slaves to the Goa'uld to serve as incubators for their larvae. In return they are granted with long life and excellent immune systems," Daniel finished his impromptu lecture.

"He's really a big 'ole teddy bear," Jack said with a grin enjoying the slightly terrified looks of half the CBI team. Teal'c raised an eyebrow at Jack's statement.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Teal'c," Lisbon said cocking her head to the side. "I'm Agent Teresa Lisbon and this is my team: Agent Kimball Cho, Agent Wayne Rigsby, Agent Grace Van Pelt, and Patrick Jane.

"I feel unloved, Lisbon. Everyone else is introduced as an agent, and I'm just plain old me- Jane. Kind of like Madonna," he smirked as Lisbon swatted her hand in his direction.

"Shut up, Jane."

"I'm serious! We really should come up with a new form of introductions," he smiled as she rolled her eyes. Ignoring him, she turned to Jack.

"So Colonel, what's the plan for the day. How long are we here for?" Lisbon's hand quickly intercepted a flying green bean that Jane had thrown at her.

"Tomorrow your team will receive a briefing over the weapons and who we think is behind this, and we'll send you back to California tomorrow. I think you and Jane should head down to the infirmary and get checked out. That was a nasty hit you two received," Jack glared at Lisbon as she started to protest.

"You can go on your own or I'll have you escorted," he said firmly leaving no room for argument. Lisbon glared back, not intimidated by the Colonel much to his surprise. Jane chose that exact moment to bump her shoulder causing her to wince slightly. The other agents looked at her concerned.

"You really should have that looked at, boss," Cho stated. She groaned as she looked at the group around the table.

"Alright," she muttered.

"Well now that that's settled, how about a grand tour!" Jane said excitedly.

"Don't even think about it Jane. You're not getting out of this if I can't," she said with a pointed look as the consultant seemed to wilt in front of her. Sam stifled a laugh at the antics of the two beside her.

"Come on, I'll show you the way," she said standing up with a glace towards her CO. He gave her a small smile as she turned to escort the agent and the consultant who were still bickering to the infirmary. The other agents stared at each other not knowing what to do.

"Now it's time for cake!" Jack said happily. Rigsby smiled. The Colonel was alright, definitely alright.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the delay in posting this one! My niece and nephew (they're twins) graduated from preschool last night. Imagine 4 year olds in caps and gowns- absolutely precious!!! That and I had to spread 80 bales of pinestraw in our yard for my sister's graduation party next week. Crazyness. Anywho, we're getting to the good stuff! I seem to have developed a posting schedule of every other day for this story. A big thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read and review! Special thanks to Charlie Blue who keeps me straight on my Stargate! We're getting to the fun stuff now! Ideas are always welcome! Y'all enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

Chapter 4

Lisbon sat on the cold exam table waiting for Dr. Janet Frasier to finish checking Jane's injury. She'd swallowed when he raised his shirt revealing the red burns across his chest. He swore it didn't hurt, but that didn't stop Dr. Frasier much to his chagrin. Sam had kindly showed them the way, although she was probably making sure they actually made it to the infirmary, before returning to her lab. Finishing up, the red headed doctor handed Jane a tube of ointment, making him promise to come see her if it got worse in the next day.

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked looking at Lisbon. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but he wanted to hear what the doctor had to say. Teresa Lisbon wasn't known for following doctor's orders. It was a miracle in itself that she was persuaded to come down here. Granted, their unofficial escort may have helped.

"I don't care, Jane. Stay if you want," she muttered as the other woman started filling out paperwork. She rolled her eyes as he settled into a nearby chair. Janet glanced at Jane and then turned to Lisbon, before asking her to raise her shirt. He fidgeted. His eyed took in her bruised torso with concern. He had no idea she was hurt that badly. It was his fault she had been injured in the case a day before being zapped with some strange alien weapon. He was a hazard. Looking up, his eyes caught hers.

"It's not your fault," she said. She knew he would blame himself, and that was one thing she didn't want. The man already carried around too many burdens. Injury was a part of her job. She expected it, although being shocked by an alien weapon wasn't in the job description. "Jane. It's not your fault." He nodded slowly still studying her face while the good doctor ignored their conversation.

Dr. Janet Frasier sighed as she listened to the scene in front of her as the two started to leave. The two strangers reminded her an awful lot of the Colonel and Sam, only their roles were reversed. Agent Lisbon was in charge, and although these two wouldn't face a court martial for a relationship she was sure it was against procedure. It wasn't fair but that was the way of the world.

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After finishing dessert, Cho began to wander the halls of the SGC looking for something to do. Rigsby and Van Pelt had followed some other officers down to an entertainment room to watch a movie. They weren't necessarily being held under the mountain, but they were advised no to leave until they were released. Cho paused as he passed an open doorway leading to a training room. Teal'c seemed to be instructing a basic martial arts class, although Cho had never seen most of the moves. He entered and sat off to the side hoping to learn something that could improve his hand to hand combat skills.

"Agent Cho, I'm sure someone will lend you proper training attire if you wish to participate," Teal'c said when he saw the man entire the room.

"Thanks," the Asian man said making his was to the locker room as a clean shirt and shorts were tossed his way. The big man nodded to him and waited for him to return. At least this stranger seemed to appreciate the value of silence.

An hour later, Cho was exhausted. This was one of the hardest training workouts he had ever taken part in. He was amazed he was able to keep up with most of the military men. The alien could make a fortune starting his own fitness club. Cho cracked a smile as he imagined Teal'c in spandex leading a workout video. Maybe not.

"Well aren't you two a bucket of laughs," Jack said, standing in the doorway as he observed the two men sitting in silence.

"Why would various expressions of enjoyment be housed in a round container, O'Neill?"

"Never mind, Teal'c," Jack said as Cho glanced between the two men slightly confused. Jane arrived beside Jack at that moment with Lisbon nowhere to be found. Cho stared at the consultant quizzically.

"What did you do with the boss?" he asked. When Jane got the opportunity to wander alone bad things normally happened. Jane smiled a devilish smile.

"I told her we were playing tag. It's not my fault if she decided to be a spoilsport and not chase me."

"She's going to be pissed," Cho said with a twinkle in his eye.

"How'd the visit to the infirmary go? Any big needles?" Jack asked with a slight shudder. Jane's happy go lucky expression faltered just enough for the other men to catch a flash of pain across his face.

"We're both fine- just bruised and a little burned," Jane said with a shrug before turning to Jack.

"I need your help with something," Jane said walking off. O'Neill nodded his head to the two men and followed Jane.

"This could be interesting," Cho stated.

"Indeed," Teal'c replied.

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"How long have you been with the CBI?" Jack asked, curious about the team. It wasn't often a woman was in such a high position. Of course, he didn't have a problem with that thanks to Carter, but he was still curious by nature. That and the CBI team reminded him a lot of his own team. He respected that, and respect was hard to get from Colonel Jack O'Neill.

"In general, maybe two years. I was assigned to Lisbon's team about a year ago due to my interest in a case they're working on." The consultant didn't elaborate and Jack didn't push him. He knew from experience that some things were better left unsaid. Jane studied the man beside him. "I'm sure you did background checks on all of us." Jack nodded.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said, meaning it. Jane nodded with a small frown.

"Enough of this." Jack was surprised at the consultant's quick mood change. "Where would I find some scissors, rubber cement, a trash bag, and paper," Jane said with a grin. "I'll also need you to let me into Lisbon's quarters." A slow smile appeared on Jack's face. He was beginning to like the blond haired man.

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Two hours later, Teresa Lisbon wandered into Sam's lab. The blond woman was bent over a metal cylinder. Her laptop was open and papers were scattered. Sam was oblivious to her visitor as she poked and prodded the strange object pausing only to reference an open screen on her computer.

"Some things never change," Lisbon said with a smile as Carter looked up. "Only this time it's an alien object instead of the next science fair project." Sam laughed remembering her high school years.

"Where's your shadow?" Sam asked with a slight smirk. Lisbon's eyes narrowed slightly at the thought of her missing consultant.

"That's a very good question. He's supposed to be on his best behavior, but it's been rather quiet the past two hours."

"I told you they'd be talking about us," Jae said as he stuck his head in the doorway. He sauntered into the room followed by Jack. The two women eyed them suspiciously. Something had obviously been going on seeing how Jack was sporting a cat-who-ate-the-canary grin.

"Whatcha working on, Carter?" Jack asked as he leaned on her work table. Looking around the room, Jane wandered over to a table full of unknown objects picking up a mental cube.

"Jane…" Lisbon started to reprimand when a bright green light suddenly enveloped the four occupants of the room. The cube clattered to the ground as Daniel passed by just in time to see the four disappear.

"Crap," he said as he quickly headed towards General Hammond's office. At least this time it wasn't his fault.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the posting delay! This weekend has been pretty hectic. Thanks to everyone who's still reading and reviewing! I definitely appreciate it! The next chapter will have more Lisbon/Jane in it for all you Mentalist fans. I'm still trying to find a good balance between all the characters! Here's a nice long chapter- y'all enjoy!**

**IMPORTANT: The planet and characters described in this chapter was created by a friend and me when we were in middle school. It was our little fantasy world. That being said, it was created before Harry Potter and Twilight were published so any similarities are completely coincidental and are not intended. My pen name comes from one of the characters, but I'm not writing myself in the story. I'll explain a little more about the world throughout the story, but feel free to ask if you have any questions about the new characters. I didn't want to overload y'all with information about an original world/characters!  
**

Chapter 5

"Oh for crying out loud," Jack exclaimed as he opened his eyes to unfamiliar surroundings as rain drizzled down his face. Honestly, whichever planet they were on did resemble earth he thought as he took in the landscape. They were in a small forest clearing and the sun was setting. The grass was green, the sky was blue and stormy, and maybe they were still on Earth. Nope, wait. There were two moons. As his vision cleared, he glanced over his companions who were all starting to stir.

"You are going to be the death of me, Jane." He heard Agent Lisbon mutter as she slowly sat up.

"How was I supposed to know we would go all bright and shiny and end up in another world. It's not like I was given a How-To guide for alien encounters," Jane said as he took in the woods around him. "What happened, anyway?"

"We've been transported to another planet, thanks to whatever doohickey you touched. Rule number one: no touching!" Jack sternly said as thunder clapped in the distance.

"I don't think you have room to talk, sir." Jack turned at the sound of Carter's slightly pained voice. She of course had managed to land on a rock. No concussion, thankfully, but it would bruise nicely.

"That's insubordination, Major," he said with a small smile after reassuring himself she was okay. This was just what he needed: unarmed on an unknown planet with two civilians. Perfect. He looked Lisbon in the eye. "I'd appreciate it if you followed my lead. I'm not sure where we are or if we're in hostile territory." She nodded in response as the group stood.

The sound of hoof beats began to sound through the forest. His eyes snapping to Carter's, he silently motioned for everyone to get deeper into the forest. Down a small path he saw four riders appear followed by two unmounted horses that seemed to be attached to two others. They all wore cloaks and it was hard to distinguish facial features or even genders. They did have swords. What was this- Medieval times? He froze when he felt the point of a knife at his back. Crap.

"Don't make any sudden moves," a whisper said. Well, at least they spoke English.

Teresa Lisbon's eyes tried to take in every detail as they were led towards the waiting horsemen. She looked at Jane, her eyes silently begging him to behave. She had no idea what to expect. Really, Jane was right. The SGC should give you a manual when you were briefed on the Stargate. They were stopped in front of the four, and they waited for some instruction from their cloaked captors. Jack stepped forward and raised his hands.

"We come in peace." Lisbon saw Carter roll her eyes as one of the figures began to laugh. Well, this could be good or bad.

"They're from the other side," a female voice said nodding to the figure in front of her. The lead figure slowly removed the cloak revealing a young woman who looked to be in her early twenties. She had long, black hair streaked with purple. Her eyes were startling. They were purple with flecks of silver and intelligently analyzed the situation. The woman's eyes flickered to the figure beside her giving some silent signal for the others to remove their cloaks. There were three other young men, all roughly the same age. The man beside her had shoulder length blond hair, his cat like amber eyes scanning the horizon for danger. The two men on the ground were obviously twins. Both had long brown hair that disappeared under their cloak, their silver eyes focused on their prisoners.

"Pike, Thread: search them," the black haired woman said to the twins. After a few moments, they nodded to her. "We'll camp here," the woman said as she judged the group in front of her and deemed them to be harmless. She was obviously in charge. At that, the two figures behind her removed their cloaks exposing an older couple with a royal air about them. They dismounted and hitched the horses, the woman turning hers over to the man beside her.

"Well, we're off to see the wizard, but I think we have time for a quick chat." Jack cocked his head to the side debating whether to move. This was definitely unusual. Normally, SG1 managed to land in hostile situations with another culture that spoke a random language and wanted to kill or sacrifice them. It was quite a pleasant surprise, especially since they were unarmed and didn't seem to be prisoners.

"Come sit with us," the older woman said as the younger woman stiffened. Interesting, Jack thought. She was protective of the older couple.

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"I'm Kalina and this is my husband Sephiroth," the older woman said with a kind smile. "Please tell me who you are and how you got here."

"I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill and this is my second Major Samantha Carter. This is Agent Teresa Lisbon and Patrick Jane." He paused and then gestured towards Jane. "Blondie here decided to pick up a metal cube which seems to have transported us to your world." Kalina nodded, pleased with the explanation.

"What did you mean by the other side?" Jane asked curious about the people in front of him.

"Why, Earth of course. That's where I am originally from, but found myself pulled to this world to complete my destiny. I never left," she said with a smile towards her husband.

"You're royalty aren't you?" Jane asked as Lisbon shoved him in the side. Sephiroth stared at the group in front of him before glancing at the black haired woman nearby. She gave a slight nod.

"Yes, but I'm afraid we can not tell you our mission here. We can only invite you to return to the castle with us, and we'll try to get you home," Sephiroth said. He gestured to the woman standing guard. "This is Divinia. If you choose to return with us, we ask that you defer to her on our trip back. We're exhausted from our meeting today, so we'll leave you for the night."

"We appreciate the help. Thank you," Jack said with a nod. Kalina and Sephiroth smiled and headed towards a newly constructed tent. Divinia sat in their place. She was definitely more relaxed than when they first met her.

"If anything should happen as we return to the castle, I ask that you retreat and stay out of the way. I can not arm you and I don't need four more strangers to worry about," she said seriously. Jack nodded, and she gave him a smile. Lisbon's eyes widened at the sight of Divinia's elongated canines. She caught Lisbon's surprise.

"There are many species in our world. You were lucky to land in Dreamer territory. The Dream Spirits would not be as hospitable. They tend to kill first, and question later. Kalina and Sephiroth are both human. Many of our ancestors are from Earth, but most of us today were born here and have changed. You may see many things you only imagined were real. I'm a vampiress, and the others are part of my clan. Don't be afraid. We only hunt animals," she said with another smile. Her eyes twinkled.

"Who are the others?" Jane asked, intrigued by the woman in front of him. She defied every stereotype he had ever read about vampires.

"Cayt is the blond. He's been with me the longest. I found Pike and Thread, the twins, next. Feel free to use the extra tents and make yourselves at home. We'll leave in 8 hours," she said abruptly changing the subject before walking away with a concerned look towards Cayt who was staring intently back down the trail. The others watched her worriedly as Cayt whispered something to her.

"Something's wrong," Jane calmly said. "I can feel it." Lisbon shot him a look and wished she had her gun. She missed the security of knowing she could defend herself. Jack and Sam likely felt the same. It was getting darker, but they knew they wouldn't get much sleep tonight. Jack offered to take watch for the first few hours as they pulled some sleeping bags off to the side. Divinia said they wouldn't need them tonight, and that Thread and Pike would keep an eye on their site as well.

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In the middle of the night, all hell broke loose starting with a small explosion. Lisbon jolted out of sleep in time to see as many as fifteen cloaked figures ambushing the camp. She started to reach for her gun as several dark figures headed towards them, and cursed when she remembered she was unarmed. Locking eyes with Jane, she shifted in front of him and waited for Jack to give them instructions. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Divinia raise her hand and they were enveloped in a purple shield. She turned away as the vampiress was hit with a colored ball of energy which sent her flying into a tree. The shield flickered, but stayed up.

"We don't leave anyone behind," Jack muttered as Sam looked for away around the shield. "Even if we did just meet them." He hated being trapped and not having a choice about it. Weaponless or not, they could have helped.

"They're going to die," Jane said softly as he clenched his fists.

"It was her decision," Lisbon answered trying to catch a glimpse of their new friends as the battle moved out of sight. She sat back down frustrated. Two hours later, the shield flickered and vanished exposing them to the silent darkness. Cautiously, they began to look for survivors. Jane spotted the twins first. Pike was favoring his left arm as he helped his brother sit up. Thread was having trouble breathing, but it didn't look too serious. He began to glow for a few minutes as the others watched in shock.

"We have the ability to self-heal minor injuries," Pike said softly as he turned to them. "Have you seen the others?" he asked worriedly.

"No. We were just released from Divinia's shield," Sam said. Pike gave them a small smile.

"She can be pretty useful. I'm sure she's okay. Cayt's probably with her," he said trying to convince himself everyone was alright. Thread stood slowly and leaned against a tree as he regained his balance before the group set off to find their missing friends.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello everyone! Hope you enjoy this chapter. Jack will be a little out of character at the end of this chapter, but I have my reasons for the group splitting up! A big thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far- I appreciate all the encouragement! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist or Stargate SG1. The original characters and world are my own. **

Chapter 6

They found Cayt leaning against a rock with his face contorted in pain. His right leg was obviously broken. According to Thread, he had already used most of his self-healing power to sustain himself through the fight. They didn't have an unlimited source, and would have to wait for it to 'recharge'. Pike had asked them all to step back as he mumbled foreign words. Each vampire was given a gift when they were born or changed, and Pike's was very rare. He had the ability to heal more serious injuries. A few moments later, the color began to return to Cayt's face and he studied the group with a clear expression.

"Where's Div?" Pike and Thread exchanged a look while Cayt grew more agitated. He slowly rose to his feet, grasping the rock as his weak leg started to buckle. He took a deep breath to steady himself, as Thread came up beside him to help him balance.

"She went after the one that killed Kalina," he said softly. Jane looked at Lisbon, brushing his hand against hers. Nothing else was said as the group walked on in search of the vampiress.

The spotted her still form further down the trail at the base of a large tree. She was curled on her side, her dark hair matted with blood. Pike carefully rolled her onto her back exposing her injuries. They gasped. She had obviously been tortured, but didn't go down without a fight judging from the bodies nearby. Numerous stab wounds covered her body, especially her legs. Lisbon didn't see how she could be alive after that.

"Don't you dare die on me, love," Cayt said hoarsely as slid down beside her. She was barely breathing.

"We're losing her," Pike said quietly as he began to recite another spell that stopped her bleeding. Cayt looked at him with tormented eyes, as Pike shook his head. "Her injuries are too severe. She's lost too much blood."

"Damn it!" Cayt growled as he shoved Pike out of the way and pulled Divinia into his arms.

"It's too risky, Cayt. You're not strong enough," Pike argued.

"I can't lose her," Cayt whispered begging the twins to understand. He shut his eyes as the two of them were bathed in an amber light.

"What's he doing?" Jane asked, his face pale. Everything was happening so fast, and the four humans didn't know what to do with themselves. They felt like they were intruding on a private moment.

"He's giving her his life force," Pike said with a tight expression.

"Those two have always had a strong connection even before they were together," Thread said as he turned towards them. "It's risky, and it may kill him in the process. Most vampires can only do this once in their lifetime and only for their mate."

"Is there anything we can do?" Jack asked. He hated feeling helpless.

"You can search for Sephiroth. They killed Kalina, but we still haven't found him. They may have taken him," Thread said keeping his eyes on Divinia as he handed over a dagger. Jack nodded and headed further into the woods with Sam behind him. Lisbon turned towards Jane unsure of what to do. At that moment, Cayt slumped to the ground as the amber light faded. Pike hurried over and checked his pulse.

"He's still alive," he said relieved. Lisbon and Jane watched in amazement as Divinia drew in a sharp breath, her eyes flickering open.

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Jane watched as the vampiress arched her back as she bit her lip to keep from crying out. He turned away, and sat down on a fallen tree. He saw Lisbon cock her head before deciding to follow him.

"You okay?" she asked as she sat next to him. He looked down at their legs which were almost touching, before sliding his hand over hers. He was surprised when she didn't pull away, but instead took the time to study his face as she intertwined her fingers with his.

"I'm just a little shaken up," he said. He tried to reassure her with a small smile. She squeezed his hand before leaning her head against his shoulder.

"I was a rookie when I witnessed my first gang fight. I couldn't understand how people could do that to each other. They were just kids and their lives were destroyed. Life shouldn't be like that," she said as she looked up at him. "Life shouldn't be this hard."

He knew she was thinking about her own family as well. He had pieced together parts of her history from office gossip and old newspaper clippings, but he wouldn't push into that subject. She'd tell him when she wanted to. A branch snapped causing them to both look up. Lisbon stood and scanned the trees slightly alarmed. They needed to move as soon as possible. It wasn't safe to remain here for too long. She let out a sigh of relief as she saw Jack and Sam make their way back. Their expressions were serious and they were empty handed.

"How are they?" Sam asked when they were within earshot.

"They're both alive, but I don't think she's doing to well," Lisbon said with a frown. "We need to move."

"I agree," Jack said with a nod as they made their way over to the vampires.

"Pike, please. Don't make me order you," Divinia rasped as the humans walked up.

"I thought this would heal her?" Lisbon asked Thread quietly.

"It healed her internal injuries, but she'll still feel residual pain for at least another day. Plus, her left leg is shattered," he said with a slight growl. It was obvious they all cared for their female leader.

"We're not leaving you, Div," Pike said firmly.

"What's going on?" Jack asked.

"_Someone_ wants to be left here, while Thread and I take you guys and Kalina's body back to the castle," Pike said. His eyes flashed and he clenched his fists.

"You have to. They need to know, and we need to get them home." Divinia gestured towards the humans. She gasped in pain and shut her eyes for a moment. "I'm in no condition to head back and Cayt's still unconscious. Besides, both of you are injured as well. You're wasting time."

"Wait a minute," Jack said with his hands raised. "We all need to move at least a mile away from this site. Let us help you, and then will figure out what to do next. Divinia paused for a moment, and slowly nodded her head.

"That's reasonable," she said with a glare towards Pike. Jack sighed as he tried to figure out how in the world they were going to move an injured vampiress, an unconscious vampire, and a dead body when the other two vampires were still hurt.

"We'll be able to support Cayt between us both," Jane said looking at Pike. Jack nodded as Thread went to pick up the body.

"Carter, Lisbon. Scout ahead. We don't need to run into any surprises," Jack ordered as he carefully picked up Divinia. Her face turned white at the sudden movement, and she let out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry," Jack said quietly to the young woman in his arms.

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Hours later the group decided to stop and rest. Lisbon felt more comfortable now that they were several miles away from the scene of the attack. As they walked, she tried to think of a decent argument to convince the Colonel that she and Jane should remain with Divinia and Cayt. She felt uneasy leaving them alone. She turned to Jack.

"Jane and I will stay. You and Sam should accompany Pike back to the castle," Lisbon said firmly as she pulled Jack to the side.

"You think I'm going to leave you two here alone? He's a civilian and you're not trained for off-world missions!"

"It's the most logical decision," she said quietly. "We can't just leave them, and with Kalina dead and Sephiroth missing we don't know what we'd be walking into at the castle." Jack was quiet as he considered the agent's argument.

"I don't like this, but I don't think you two would follow my orders on this one," he said as he glanced towards Carter. Jane was trying to help Divinia find a more comfortable position. The vampiress kept glancing over to the unconscious man, her expression switching between pain and worry. Making up his mind, he walked over to Pike to inform him of the new plan. They'd start for the castle after an hours rest.


	7. Chapter 7

**Woohoo! Chapter 7- Sorry this took so long and is so short. My little sister graduated last night and we had a party today. I'm exhausted…and extremely full. I have a favor to ask of all my lovely readers- I'm debating how much of my original world/plot to continue with. I can wrap up the story rather soon or I can write an epic adventure that would include more plot detail surrounding the castle folk, the vampires, along with Lisbon, Jane, Jack, and Sam. I don't want to bore you with my own characters if it's not interesting enough since they are original! Review and let me know what you would all like! Enjoy your weekend!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist or Stargate: SG1. I do own the vampires! I love them so, but I am still broke. I need a job.**

Chapter 7

General George Hammond stared at the phone on his desk. He really wasn't looking forward to telling the director of the CBI that he had lost his best agent. Think of the questions that would bring up. He wasn't exactly authorized to tell him that his wayward consultant had picked up an alien artifact which transported four people to an unknown alien planet. Oh yeah, and they were unarmed.

Sighing, he observed Agent Lisbon's team outside his window. He didn't know whether to send them back or keep them here. He knew they didn't want to leave Colorado without their teammates, but the Air Force didn't really have a reason to keep them. Unfortunately, that meant he needed to create one. Picking up the phone, he dialed Virgil Minelli.

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"This would only happen to Jane," Rigsby stated as the agents plus half of SG1 sat around a table in the commissary.

"Actually Agent Rigsby, both Colonel O'Neill and Daniel Jackson have an unusual ability to find themselves in similar predicaments," Teal'c added as Daniel shot him a glare.

"What sort of predicaments?" Van Pelt asked with a grin as she rested her elbows on the table. Cho swore he saw Teal'c smile. Daniel just shook his head.

"How long are you staying?" he deflected as he looked around the table. He was enjoying getting to know the agents.

"As long as we're able to," Cho said with a shrug. "We really don't want to leave without the boss and Jane."

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Samantha Carter walked between her commanding officer and the vampire as they headed for the Dreamer's castle. She knew Kalina and Sephiroth had been royalty, but she wasn't sure how the people would receive two strangers accompanying a loved one's body. She hoped they had done the right thing by leaving Tess and Patrick. She smiled at that thought. Those two were good for each other, and she wished they'd see it. She'd have to talk to her friend. There was no need in another couple going through what she was going through.

The vampires had agreed to bring Lisbon and Jane with them to the castle for the funeral service. Divinia confirmed they would receive a message from the castle, and would take care of the two humans until then. Sam was still haunted by the look in the vampiress' eyes at the thought of returning to the castle. She tripped over an exposed root and mentally kicked herself for letting her mind wander as Jack's hand on her waist steadied her.

"Carter?" he asked with a slight smirk. His hand lingered for a second longer before he pulled away. She immediately missed the warmth of his touch.

"Thanks, sir. Didn't see that one," she said returning his smile.

"Anytime, Dorothy." Sam shook her head. That man loved quoting The Wizard of Oz. She half expected to stumble upon the planet itself one day.

"So, how long till we arrive?" he asked their companion.

"We should arrive by nightfall," he said seriously. His thoughts were back with his brother. He hated splitting up, but with Divinia and Cayt out of commission another guard was necessary for the other group. Sam noticed his distraction and resolved to change the subject.

"What's the rest of the clan like?" she asked hoping to spur happier memories. Pike smiled slowly, and began to tell them all about his friends.

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Teresa watched Jane interact with the vampiress as she munched on some odd piece of native fruit. The young woman was enthralled with his magic tricks, but Lisbon knew his main purpose was to keep her mind off of the constant pain. Divinia rewarded him with a smile, as Jane finished another 'impossible' feat. It amused her that a girl who could summon a magical force field would enjoy Jane's party tricks. It was the most emotion the serious young leader had shown so far. Lisbon frowned as she studied the clan leader and the unconscious man beside her. She was so young to be put in this position. What kind of society ruled this planet?

Lisbon was startled when Cayt drew in a deep breath and opened his eyes. The vampire had been unconscious for over 4 hours. She could see a trace of panic on his face as he slowly sat up. He calmed immediately as Divinia grasped his hand. Jane backed away as the two vampires reassured each other that the other was alright with soft touches and loving looks. Divinia shifted so she was leaning against her mate as he wrapped his arms around her pressing his lips to her temple.

"Young love," Jane said as he sat down next to her. Lisbon raised an eyebrow as she tossed the core of the fruit behind her.

"That was nice of you," she replied. He tilted his head to study her before a big grin broke over his face.

"A compliment, my dear?"

"Yes, Jane. I was alluding to the fact that you are quite capable of being nice to someone." She rolled her eyes trying to quell her body's reaction to his term of endearment.

"I knew you liked me," he leaned close and she swore his blue eyes were twinkling. "I'm irresistible," he whispered in her ear as she swatted him. He stood up and offered her his hand. He sighed as she stared at it suspiciously.

"Good grief, woman. I'm not going to bite!" She allowed him to pull her to her feet as they wandered over to the vampires.

"What's the plan?" Jane asked casually as he dragged Lisbon behind him. Thread raised his eyebrow at the pair.

"We'll camp here tonight. Tomorrow we'll try to rejoin the rest of the clan. We've been lucky it's been overcast so far, but we need to get deeper into the forest," Divinia replied cheerfully.

"Can you really not be in the sun?" Lisbon asked as she traded looks with Jane.

"We can tolerate mild sunlight, but the rays will burn a young vampire's skin to the point of death. Older vampires can tolerate direct sunlight without a problem," Cayt said with a smile.

"Older vampires…like 50 years old?" Jane asked.

"Try 200," Thread said with a smirk as the humans looked baffled. "Our bodies stop aging while we're in our twenties. We'll always look like we do now, but some vampires live up to 500 years. It's a blessing and a curse."

"How old are you?" Lisbon said, her eyes wide.

"Pike and I are actually 33. Cayt's 24 and Div's the baby at 21," Thread said with a laugh. Lisbon and Jane glanced at the vampires before looking at each other.

"How did you all end up together?" Jane said as he tilted his head in thought. The guys looked to Divinia.

"That's a story for another day," she said softly. "We'll need to leave early tomorrow. We should get a message from the castle soon about funeral arrangements. We'll escort you to the castle to reunite with your friends most likely in a few days time."


	8. Chapter 8

**Yay- another chapter! This one's dedicated to Innoxa23 and OnlySoAnHour. Your reviews have been most helpful and encouraging! For all my other readers, I've decided to take the long route but I'm not going to introduce too many new characters, hopefully! I'm going to try and divide the chapters between them evenly! Next chapter should be pretty fun! Hope y'all enjoy this one! Thank you all!**

Chapter 8

Something was tickling his nose. Patrick Jane slowly cracked one eye open as he awoke from the best night's sleep he'd ever had. He was surprised to find a mop of dark, curly hair cascading down his torso. He was even more surprised to find it belonged to his boss. Sometime during the night she had curled around him, tucking her head under his chin. He didn't even remember falling asleep, but apparently his subconscious reciprocated since his arm was wrapped around her waist. He panicked as he tried to slide out from under her still sleeping form.

"Stop moving," she mumbled. "You're not being a good pillow."

"Uh," he gaped. She was awake? He thought for sure she'd wake up and would be embarrassed to find them in such a compromising position. He paused to analyze his mixed feelings as she burrowed into him.

"I hate not being able to sleep in my own bed, and seeing how this is your fault, you can at least be a good pillow," she said indignantly as he began to shift restlessly at the feeling of a _very_ female body draped across his own.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were scared," she said as she lifted her head to look him in the eye. He gulped as he took in her sleepy eyes and mussed hair. This could get bad and could anyone blame him?

"Someone's feisty in the morning," he said as he flashed his most charming smile. "It's probably time to get up though. I'm sure the vampires are ready to leave." He smiled at the quizzical expression on her face as she studied him closely. With a sigh, she rolled off of him. He jumped when Thread stuck his head in the tent.

"Just gather any necessities. Without the horses, there's no point in trying to haul all of this stuff back. We'll make do with what we can carry easily."

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Princess Elina Serit frowned as she was summoned to the Headmaster's office. It had been two weeks since her parents had left and she had tried her best not to get into any trouble. It wasn't her fault she got bored easily! As she slowly walked down the hallway, she reflected on the events of the past weeks.

_It was just as Divinia's letter had said. The three vampires looked to be no more than 25, but it was hard to tell. Felric, the Captain of the Guards, entered behind them. In unison, the three bowed and wished Kalina and Sephiroth well. Their voices blended together so well that Elina wasn't able to tell who said what._

"_Arise," Sephiroth commanded. "Are you the three vampires that will be escorting us to the Dark Palace?"_

"_We are," the first vampire said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Cayt- second in command of Divinia's Clan."_

"_Why did Divinia not attend this meeting herself?" Kalina asked with a raised brow._

"_She has her reasons," Cayt replied as he eyed Elina with interest. She shivered._

"_And when will she be joining us?" _

"_Soon. These are my companions- Thread and Pike." The other vampires nodded their heads, as Kalina looked between them, amused._

"_Twins?" Sephiroth said with a smile._

"_That we are, Your Majesty," Thread said with a grin as the light reflected off of his fangs._

"_How soon can we leave?" Kalina asked changing the subject back to business._

"_We have six horses just inside of the woods. We have food packs for you and your husband and we four will be able to hunt for ourselves," Cayt replied._

"_Four?" Elina spoke up._

"_Divinia will be joining us shortly. She insisted she would not be coming near the castle," Cayt answered not minding Elina's interruption._

"_What a shame." Elina was surprised that her father actually sounded disappointed._

"_How can we guarantee the King and Queen's safety?" Felric asked._

"_I give you my word that no harm shall come to the King and Queen," Cayt promised. This answered Felric's question. Even Elina knew how important a vampire's word was. If broken, they would kill themselves in guilt or would be hunted down by the rest of the clan and slaughtered. She wasn't too sure of the mechanics, but she knew it would be bad._

"_We put our lives in your hands then," Sephiroth said with a smile as it thundered loudly outside. The group was silent for a few minutes. Elina looked up and saw Pike watching her. Or were his eyes on something lower. Her neck? She hoped not- he was invited inside after all. She heard a voice in her mind._

'_Beware the planets and the Silver Star that hides them from all suspicions…'_

"_Well then, we shall be joining you shortly." Her father's voice interrupted her thoughts._

"_Thank you. You do realize that we will not accompany you inside of the Dark Palace?" Cayt asked._

"_Of course. Divinia's letter told us of the price on your heads and we understand you don't want to walk into any traps," Kalina said kindly._

"_You are a wise queen and we hope you will rule over this country with your cleverness for many years."_

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"_We'd better be going," Sephiroth said as he picked up his bag and gave Elina a hug. "Now listen here, little princess. If the castle becomes infested with baby dragons again, do not feed them. We want them to leave."_

"_Dad, I was 5. I'm almost 22 now."_

"_You can never be too careful," he said with a shifty look around the room._

"_Let's move it, joker," Kalina said as she pushed him out of the room. "Be good, sweetheart. Oh! I have something for you." She reached into her bag and took out a long white scepter. The carved ivory blossomed into a flower with a crystal nestled in its petals. _

"_Wow," Elina whispered._

"_It's called the Peace Wand. It holds many secrets and as you get older, they will reveal themselves to you," Kalina said as she handed it to her daughter._

"_We love you, Elina. Never forget that," Sephiroth added as they walked out the front doors, never to enter them again._

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Jack wiped his brow as he spotted the castle spires above the trees. He was thankful for the overcast weather which made their trek much cooler.

"Don't you get any sun around here?" he asked as the vampire smiled.

"We're in the Storm Season now. It normally rains for four continuous months during this time," Pike replied. Sam shuddered. She couldn't imagine not seeing the sun for four months. They stopped suddenly as they neared the castle. Jack scanned the tree line looking for any signs of danger. Without warning they were surrounded by palace guards.

"It wasn't me," Jack said as he raised his hands slowly. The guards stared silently before they began to march towards the palace.

"Just exactly who were Kalina and Sephiroth?" Sam whispered to Pike.

"The king and queen," he muttered as his shoulders sagged.

"Oh crap," Jack answered for all of them. It looked like they were about to get a tour of yet another prison.

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"How do you think Jack and Sam are doing?" Jane casually asked. He was almost panting, but everyone else seemed to be in perfect physical condition. Even Lisbon was barely breathing hard. In fact, she seemed to be taking pleasure in his pain. Evil, evil woman.

"They should be reaching the castle by now," Cayt replied as he shifted the woman in his arms. Divinia grimaced at the jarring movement, before leaning her head back against his chest.

"I told you that you should have been going to the gym with us," Lisbon whispered with a smile as she noted his discomfort. He glared at her, before he began to walk faster. She swallowed a laugh as he caught up to Thread who was leading the group, as she settled beside Cayt. He'd be back soon. She smirked as she lobbed a pinecone at his head. Cayt smiled at her childish behavior to which she shrugged. They were on an alien planet. She deserved a little stress release.

"We should reach the camp by nightfall," Thread said as his voice carried back to the three behind him.

"Hope you don't mind sharing a tent for the duration of your stay with us," Cayt said with a smirk. Jane's head whipped around in time to catch Lisbon's grin.

"Not at all! We were very comfortable last night."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jack groaned in frustration as he leaned against the steel bars of the cage they were imprisoned in. It was slightly amusing that no matter how advanced a civilization was, they all had relatively similar prisons. Unfortunately, he had a pretty good record of comparison thanks to SG1's fabled bad luck. He watched as Carter ran her hands along every bar looking for any signs of structural weakness. He smiled as he heard her mutter something under her breath. No doubt she was cursing up a storm in that pretty little head of hers.

His eyes widened. He thought he had been better about repressing his inappropriate thoughts for his second in command. It was a good thing Carter wasn't psychic. Speaking of psychics, his thoughts shifted to Lisbon and Jane. He wondered how they were getting along with the vampires. He hoped he hadn't made a mistake, but the CBI senior agent seemed to be one of those women who always got her way.

Clearing his mind, he took in the features of the building they were in and the surrounding guards. They had been separated from Pike upon the discovery of the Queen's body, and he hoped nothing bad had happened to the vampire. In his experience, people seemed to judge first and question later. Throw in dead royalty and it was not a pleasant situation. Lost in his thoughts, he was surprised to feel Carter's presence beside him.

"Sir?" she asked with a raised eyebrow that would make Teal'c proud. He could see the faint smile tugging at her mouth.

"Just thinking," he replied.

"Don't hurt yourself, sir." He smiled as she tagged on the honorific just soon enough to not be insubordinate, not that he minded when she was a little cheeky. Daniel was definitely a bad influence on her.

"Daniel better be taping The Simpsons for me," he grumbled as he studied her. She started to look away under his scrutiny when the clanging of a metal door startled them both. They stood quickly and prepared themselves for the unknown.

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Elina turned the handle and entered the Headmaster's office. She was surprised to see her best friends' mother, Professor Lyrenski, there as well. Closing the door behind her, she gasped as she saw Pike out of the corner of her eye. His cloak was torn in several places and a long gash ran down his neck. His left arm was in a sling. He was looking at her sadly and turned away at her glare. A cold feeling ran through the young princess.

"No."

"Elina, please." Professor Lyrenski stepped forward and reached for her hand. Elina jerked away and turned to Pike.

"Pike, please. It isn't true. Tell me it's not true. Pike tell me. Tell me it's a lie, please…" Pike shut his eyes and took her hand in his as the young woman began to shake.

"I'm sorry, Elina," he said as his voice trailed off.

"Where is she? Tell me now," she spoke urgently as tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"Elina…"

"Tell me or I'll kill you," she shouted, her sadness turning into anger.

"Elina!" the Headmaster shouted.

"Shut up, old man. This doesn't concern you. I am their daughter and I have a right to know!" The Headmaster was silenced under Elina's rising fury.

"She was murdered," he said softly as he looked at the ground.

"And my dad?"

"We don't know."

"You don't know?" she asked incredulously.

"He's missing. When we came around he was gone."

"Tell me the whole story. Now," Elina ordered.

"We were on our way back from the Dark Palace and your parents were furious. The kept mumbling about destroying the palace, but wouldn't talk to any of us. We came across some strangers, and your mother told us they were from the other side. She and your father took a liking to them and invited them to return to the castle with us. It was growing darker and we decided to camp for the night when we were attacked by 15 Dream Spirits, maybe more. We tried to fight them off, but blacked out due to blood loss. When we awoke, your mother was dead and your father was missing," He paused and took a deep breath. "Don't think I got the worst of the attack. Thread has four broken ribs and a busted lip. Cayt has a broken leg, and was still unconscious when I left. Divinia," he paled and closed his eyes. "She almost didn't make it, and she won't be doing much with her legs for awhile. She went right for the one that held your mother."

"Thank you, Pike," Elina said softly before starting to cry again.

"Oh honey, I'm so very sorry," Professor Lyrenski said as she pulled Elina into a hug.

Elina made a promise that day. She promised that as soon as she could, she would leave the castle and search for her father. Pike and the others only thought he was dead. She would prove them wrong and then she would hunt down her mother's murderer and make him suffer for what he had done.

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They were on the trail early the next morning and Jane was looking forward to meeting the rest of the vampires. He found himself intrigued by this strange world, and couldn't wait to learn more about its people. He had slept surprisingly well for the second night in a row, and was pleasantly surprised by Lisbon's level of comfort around him. He was attracted to the beautiful brunette in front of him, but he wasn't sure he was ready to just give up his hunt for Red John. Surely she understood that.

Divinia balked at having to be carried yet again, and Jane got the feeling she was a lot like his Lisbon in regards to independence. The young vampiress was glaring at Cayt from her place in Thread's arms as the two men teased her mercilessly. It was refreshing to be so at ease and comfortable with the people around him, and he soon found himself walking with Cayt while Lisbon proceeded to question the vampiress about the others in the clan.

"You've been together for a long time," Jane stated as the vampiress hurled another insult in her lover's direction.

"As a family, yes. We've only been lovers for a short time, though. We stumbled across each other almost 10 years ago. She had just been bitten and my entire clan had been wiped out by a disease. We were inseparable," He smiled at the memory. "We were both too stubborn to admit we had feelings for each other. She was my best friend, and I didn't want to lose that. I almost lost her to another vampire which helped me work up my nerve about a year ago."

"Do you regret it?" Jane asked. Cayt studied the man beside him who was lost in thought as he watched the woman in front of him.

"Never," he said softly. "She saved my life, and I can't imagine living without her." Cayt gave him a knowing look. "She won't wait forever, you know." Jane quickly turned his head at the sudden subject change. "Besides, it's not fair to her. You two have a good thing. Act on it." Jane was left in silence to ponder the vampire's words as Lisbon slowed down to walk beside him.

"I never thought this day would come," she said with a grin. Jane furrowed his brow.

"What? Walking on an alien planet with vampires?" Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"No, you looking absolutely puzzled."

"Just an interesting conversation," he stated with a smug smile as she hit his arm.

"You're going to keep me in suspense, aren't you?"

"But of course, my dear. I can't seduce you if I'm not mysterious!" She snorted.

"Oh bite me."

"I really wouldn't use that expression if I were you," he said with a grin as they neared a clearing and were soon surrounded by other vampires who were looking at the strangers with interest.


	10. Chapter 10

**Wow! I can't believe I'm already on Chapter 10! This would have been up sooner, but I was distracted by the Tony awards. It's really hard to type when you're singing along to musicals! Thank you for being patient and for reading! I hope you enjoy!  
**

Chapter 10

Several days had passed and Lisbon was getting restless. There was only so much a human could do in a vampire camp especially when the only other human was an annoying consultant named Patrick Jane. The vampires were very hospitable and she had enjoyed getting to know them. The clan totaled 13 members, and she was sure Jane was ecstatic about the interaction and behaviors of his new subjects. Speaking of Jane…she looked around the clearing for the blond haired man and smiled as she saw Divinia approach.

The poor vampiress had been brutally beaten, almost died, and yet she brushed the whole situation off like it was a minor scratch. Cayt and the others had insisted she use crutches and stay off her legs as much as possible. Lisbon shook her head. Where do vampires even get crutches to begin with? With a huff, the young woman plopped down beside her.

"How are you feeling?" Lisbon asked politely. She hadn't really talked to the vampiress since they arrived at the camp. She was always surrounded by watchful eyes and stayed in her tent the majority of the time. She appeared to be healing nicely and her bruises would fade with time.

"A little smothered, but not a lot of pain," she said as she narrowed her eyes before smiling slightly. "I snuck out of my tent, so Cayt will have a fit when he wakes up."

"It's good to keep them on their toes," Lisbon said with a grin.

"Give him five minutes and he will be stomping through the woods like a herd of tanpheels… umm, really big animal. Not that smart and eats the local plant life," she added when she noticed Lisbon's confused expression. "Anyways, we have received word from the castle. We'll leave tomorrow," she finished quietly as she stared at her hands.

"It wasn't your fault, you know," Lisbon said softly. "You were grossly outnumbered. You did everything you could." The vampiress looked up and gave her a sad smile.

"It will still cost a high price," she whispered. Before Lisbon could prod her further, the blond vampire came stomping though the forest. Lisbon smiled as the young woman's eyes sparkled mischievously.

"You damn near gave me a heart attack!" He paused and studied the two of them. "Besides, you need to stay off your feet today if we're going to travel tomorrow." Lisbon grinned at his stern expression. Without giving her a chance to respond, he scooped her up in his arms. Divinia let out a shriek at the unexpected action before crossing her arms and defiantly looking at him.

"We'll see you bright and early Agent Lisbon," he said as he headed back to the tents. Lisbon shook her head as she watched the two playfully banter back and forth. She let out a gasp when Jane swung down from a nearby tree.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she said with a glare. He gave her an innocent look.

"I'm just appreciating the fine specimen of trees that have grown here. They remind me of the magnificent redwoods in the Pacific Northwest."

"Trees, my ass," he heard her mutter under her breath. "I take it you heard the news then," she stated as she leaned on his shoulder.

"That I did. Something's wrong with those two, though. There's a slight hint of sadness," he said thoughtfully.

"Jane, you are not allowed to harass her. They have both been through a traumatic experience and you don't need to stir anything up."

"Yes, ma'am!" he said cheerfully as he stood and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" she questioned.

"Why my dear! Are you telling me you're enjoying my company?" He smiled as he heard her growl behind him as he headed towards the camp. He loved riling her up. It was immensely satisfying.

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Even in death, her mother was beautiful. Elina was sure of it. Kalina had been 'crystallized', sealed in a crystal class that would preserve her forever, or as long as Elina wanted. She was dressed in her lavender wedding gown and her hair had been decorated with flowers.

"Don't worry, mom. I will avenge your death."

"Elina?" She glanced up as her cousin Drake slipped into the room. "It's time." She turned and nodded, walking away from her mother's still form.

"I'm sorry about what happened," Drake said as they walked towards the auditorium.

"Don't be."

"Elina, she was my aunt! You aren't the only one suffering, you know. She was a great friend, wife, sister, mother, and queen." They walked in silence the rest of the way. When they arrived, Drake took a seat beside his mother in the front row while Elina walked up to one of the chairs on stage.

"We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of our Queen," Professor Lyrenski began. "I was a close friend of Kalina's, and she is the very reason I am here at this school today. I am not here to tell you about my career, but about the noble deeds of our fallen queen. She touched all of us, saved an entire race of people, and helped build the kingdom of Heaven's Gate. She also stood proudly as we accomplished a victory against the Dream Spirits many years ago."

As Professor Lyrenski droned on, Elina looked up to see who had attended her mother's funeral. She spotted the vampires in the back of the auditorium, all thirteen of them, plus two other humans. A vampiress with purple streaked black hair on crutches was watching Elina closely. Cayt and Thread stood on either side of her. This must be the elusive Divinia.

"_Divinia, do you see what has happened because of you? Because you let your guard down, my mother is dead. I hope you're proud_," Elina thought as she stared at the vampiress. She was surprised when she heard a woman's voice in her head.

"_I am not proud, and I am sorry for what has happened. I should have been more careful. Beware the planets_." Again with the planets, Elina thought with a sigh. What did it mean and why couldn't anyone say it to her face?

"One of Kalina's favorite things was to remind us that we can not control fate and what it does to our lives. But we can control one thing. We lost a wondrous Queen, but she has left us a gift from above. Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce you to our new queen, Elina Serit."

Elina looked up. This is why she had come? To be sworn in as queen? She wouldn't allow it. As she approached the podium a mournful applause greeted her. She cleared her throat and surveyed the crowd.

"I have one thing to say to this surprising invitation. You should all be ashamed of yourselves." Loud gasps greeted her from every area but the back of the auditorium. "How could you want to make me Queen when my father is still out there? I know he could be dead, but he isn't. I can feel it! As long as he lives, he rules over this country and its people. Until I am sure of his death, I will be no more than a princess," she said coldly as she turned and started to exit.

"What are you doing," her aunt hissed as she tried to stop her from leaving. "Get up there and accept your fate. Your mother would be ashamed of you!"

"My mother would be proud. I am not being selfish. I am going to find my father so he may continue his rule over this land," she spat. With those words, Elina left her aunt standing in the aisle and went to her room to pack. Meanwhile in the back, Divinia had heard it all.

"Good choice, Elina," she thought.

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"Nothing like a good family argument to lighten up a funeral," Jane said as he pressed his hands together. He managed to scoot away in time for Lisbon to only land a glancing blow. Jack smiled as he walked up to the two of them.

"You two look fine and dandy," he stated as he exchanged a look with Carter.

"Unlike the two of you," Jane quickly retorted.

"We got an intimate tour of the prison system for the first two days. It doesn't look to good if you're a stranger hauling back a dead queen."

"Sir," Sam said with a warning tone. The man could be quite tactless at the worst times. Sam turned to the vampiress.

"It's good to see you looking better," she said with a smile as she appraised the vampires' condition. It still looked like someone had beat the shit out of them, but at least they had survived.

"What's the plan, Colonel?" Lisbon asked as she studied the man and woman in front of her. Jack frowned.

"Well, I'm not one to leave a man behind. Even if we did just meet him," he trailed off when he noticed Lisbon's accepting gaze. Divinia nodded.

"We'll be following closely, but I'd appreciate it if you don't alert the princess to our presence. She's none to pleased with me right now," Divinia said with a grimace as Cayt stepped closer to her.

"Let's get this party started," Jane said with a grin as Lisbon rolled her eyes. This was turning into quite the adventure.


	11. Chapter 11

**Woohoo! I present Chapter 11, and I can't believe I finished it so quickly. I know everyone loves fast updates. I'll apologize in advance for the massive amounts of conversation in this chapter, but it's necessary to the plot! I hope everyone's enjoying the story so far! Review and let me know! It makes me happy! Next chapter will have a nice Lisbon and Jane scene, and I can't wait to write it! **

Chapter 11

Elina was whirling around her room throwing clothes and other necessities into a backpack as her best friend Lyra tried to convince her to stay. She sighed. Lyra had always been the good one, the one to follow all the rules. She wouldn't understand why Elina needed to leave. Without a glance to her friend, Elina walked out the door and stalked down the hall. She was surprised to find the four humans waiting for her at the edge of the castle grounds.

"Do I know you?" she asked the silver haired man bluntly.

"Nope," Jack responded with a crooked smile as Sam rolled her eyes.

"Well okay, then," the princess replied as she brushed past them.

"You're going the wrong way," Jane spoke up. The princess turned around with a glare and put her hands on her hips.

"No I'm not," she huffed as she analyzed the four strangers. The silver haired man appeared to be in charge. The blond woman was dressed similarly to him. They must be some sort of a team, Elina thought. The brunette woman also had an air of authority about her, but honestly it was the blond man that intrigued her. He seemed different from the rest.

"Sure you are. Look princess, you could travel with us. We'd like to get back home, and we're determined to help find your father before we go." Jane started to lead the group in a different direction. Elina stood there for a second before sprinting after them.

"I'm Jane. That's Lisbon, Jack, and Sam," he stated pointing to each of them in turn as they headed down a narrow path. The princess remained silent, but continued to follow them. Out of nowhere, a cry echoed through the woods. Seconds later, a large beast came crashing down the path.

It was a lenic, and oh how Elina hated them. They were disgusting and usually dwelled in the desert, but somehow they had come to live in the forests on the edge of the Dreamer kingdom. They stood about twelve feet tall and had huge black eyes. Their mouths were always open revealing sharp, jagged fangs. They were great jumpers and were extremely fast making it difficult to escape.

"This is bad," Elina stated before taking off. The others stood dazed as they watched the huge creature head for them.

"I'd follow her," Jane said as he grabbed Lisbon's hand and sprinted after the princess. Separated, Jane and Lisbon ran blindly through the forest. They could hear the creature behind them. Apparently, it had decided they were the weakest prey. A large crack rang out and Lisbon whirled around to see a young man lash a whip at the creature. The creature looked around as Jack and Sam appeared with swords, courtesy of the castle security, drawn. Not liking his odds, the creature growled before withdrawing.

"What is it with you and near death experiences?" Lisbon muttered as she tried to catch her breath. She frowned when she noticed Jane's intense stare. Had she missed something?

"You're bleeding," Jane said with a worried look. Lisbon glanced down as her shirt began to fill with blood. Raising it, she found a nice two inch gash in her side.

"I don't remember that happening," she said calmly. Jane rummaged through his bag before grabbing an extra shirt and applying it to her wound. She hissed at the pressure, but was quickly distracted When he began to caress her hand softly.

"Let me help," Elina said as she stepped into the clearing. In her hand she held a small brown moss like plant. Gesturing for Lisbon to sit, she cleaned the wound with water from her canteen and packed the plant around it. Lisbon watched her curiously, and was surprised to see the blood stop as the princess wrapped strips of cloth around her middle.

"What are you doing here, Alec?" Elina asked while Jane helped Lisbon stand slowly.

"I've been following you, Elina. I do have a confession to make. My name's not Alec Tanis, I'm Alan Talisa."

"Uh huh. So you're a fraud," Jane spoke up as Lisbon elbowed him in the side.

"That's the story," the young man admitted under Jack's unwavering gaze. There was something off about this boy.

"Hmm, I see. Bye then," Elina said as she started to walk off again.

"Elina, please let me explain. I had to use a fake name, or I wouldn't have been allowed to attend the school."

"And why is that?"

"I'm not allowed to say."

"You don't seem that dangerous," Elina said thoughtfully as she stared at the man in front of her. He seemed trustworthy and he had been her friend at school.

"They never do," Jack said wryly as Alan glared at him.

"Well, I'm going with Alan," Elina said defiantly. "You're all welcome to come."

"You don't know him," Sam said as she studied the group. She had a bad feeling about this.

"I don't know you," Elina replied.

"Good point," Jane said pleasantly.

"Are we done here?" Jack asked impatiently. They were going to be stuck here in the dark if this chit chat continued. He was ready to get home. He really wasn't fond of the responsibility of two civilians tagging along on an unorthodox mission. Something was bound to go wrong. His eyes flickered over to Carter who was watching Agent Lisbon closely. She was a little pale and unsteady on her feet. Behind her back, Jane locked eyes with Carter as he supported the brunette's weight.

"I don't feel so good," Lisbon stated before promptly passing out.

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"Where did you last see him?"

"He was leaving for Heaven's Castle, Your Lordship," one of the guards stuttered.

"And why didn't he inform me?" the man shouted at the cowering guard.

"Maybe he wished to bring the queen back to you?" a second guard said boldly.

"Don't be a fool! Kalina would never come willingly. Besides, we didn't need her to. She came on her own, with that idiot man Sephiroth. When he is conscious, bring him to me!" The guards nodded.

"Your Lordship! Your son is approaching the gate with five visitors. One of the women appears to be injured."

"Send the woman to the infirmary and the others to the Throne Room when they arrive," he ordered as he walked out of the room.

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"Well this looks promising," Jack said cheerfully as they entered the darkened room. They had been escorted by several guards which immediately put Jack on edge. Agent Lisbon had been taken to the infirmary upon arrival while Jane refused to release her limp form. Secretly, he was glad the man was with her.

"This place gives me the willies," he whispered into his second's ear. Samantha Carter turned to her CO with an exasperated look. Before she could speak, a voice rang out through the darkness.

"Hello, Alan."

"Why are you sitting in the darkness, dad?" the young man asked. Sam's expression changed and Jack noted the worry.

"Are you from Heaven's Castle?" the voice asked.

"I'm a healer from the castle," Elina spoke. "The others are visitors to our realm."

The room magically lit up casting a shadow upon the man sitting in the throne. A guard stood on either side of him. The man looked nothing like Alan with his short red hair and fiery red eyes that seemed to glow. His skin was a pale white and a scar ran down the left side of his face.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the man began with a look of contempt directed at his son. "I am Jupiter Talisa."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Jane stood in a small room that overlooked a quiet garden. His eyes flickered from the window to the woman who was lying in the bed. The doctor said that it was probably an allergic reaction to the saliva found on the lenic's claws. Elina's remedy had slowed the speed of infection, but Lisbon would need to keep the area clean. They assured him that she would wake up when she was ready. Her body just needed the rest.

He couldn't disagree with that. She had been going nonstop even before they found themselves in this strange world. She was still healing from old injuries sustained in the previous case. She hid them well, but he had noticed she was favoring her shoulder still. He wished she would talk to him and let him in. Pulling up a chair, he grasped her hand loosely and ran his thumb over her smooth skin. Raising her hand, she softly kissed her knuckles and was surprised to feel her squeeze back. He watched as she fought to open her eyes and rewarded her with a bright smile when her eyes locked onto his.

"You've got to stop these near death experiences," he murmured as she smiled slowly. She was still a little woozy from the pain medication they had given her after stitching her up.

"I'll work on it," she rasped.

"Do you want some ice to cool your throat?" he asked as he ran his free hand over her forehead and brushed her hair back. She sighed at the cool contact of his hand as she nodded.

He smiled as he brought an ice chip up to her lips. Opening her mouth, she maintained eye contact as he slid the ice gently into her mouth. His fingers gently lingered on her lips before he slid his hand down to caress her cheek. She closed her eyes and relaxed into his soothing touch as the cool water trickled down her throat. She opened her eyes and watched his eyes follow her tongue as she ran it over her chapped lips. She could have sworn that his eyes darkened.

"Where are the others?"

"They were summoned to meet with the ruler of this area. I didn't want to leave you alone," he added as he looked down. This was normally when she argued and told him she didn't need to be taken care of.

"Thank you," she replied softly as he lifted his gaze and met her smile. "I'll be fine. You need to get some rest too, you know." She watched as he looked around a little unsure of himself. She thought his concern was quite cute. His eyes met hers and she carefully patted the bed beside her. His expression softened as he lay beside her mindful of her injuries. As she scooted back against him, they both finally fell into a restful slumber and dreamed of a different life.

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"Allow me to introduce myself," the man began with a look of contempt directed at his son. "I am Jupiter Talisa. Welcome to the Dark Palace."

Sam glared at her CO as he began to shift restlessly. She didn't sense a Goa'uld presence, but something still did not feel right. The last thing they needed was for Jack to make an inappropriate comment and get them thrown back into a prison.

"Nice to meet you," Jack responded with a hint of sarcasm as Jupiter's gaze rested on him briefly.

"Tell me, sir, where there any problems in the area about a week ago?" Elina asked with a frown.

"No. None that I can think of. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, just curious," she replied.

"I better show them to their rooms," Alan said nervously as he inched toward the door.

"Did I say they could stay?" Jupiter asked coldly.

"I just thought we could offer them a night of hospitality while Elina searches for her father," he said quickly.

"We don't mean to impose. We'll just be on our way…" Jack started before he was interrupted by Jupiter.

"Nonsense. You're looking for your father?" he asked as he turned to Elina.

"Yes sir. We were traveling to a vampire camp when the storm season blew us off track. My father was lost in the storm."

"I'm sorry," Jupiter responded. "Alan! Show our guests to their quarters." The room plunged into darkness as the group exited quickly.

"Your father is quite the character," Jack said as he surveyed their surroundings. He noted all the exits before turning to Sam and motioning for her to do the same as they headed down a long hallway. Alan pointed out several free rooms before entering his own. Jack watched as Elina chose the room next to Alan's. With a frown, he pulled Sam into a third room. She looked up with a confused expression as the door shut behind him.

"Sir?" He shook his head and she responded with a nod. The rooms were probably bugged.

"We should probably check on Lisbon and Jane," Sam said as she moved toward the door. She pulled at the handle, but the door refused to budge. With a groan, she turned around. "We're locked in, sir."

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Elina waited a few minutes before quietly opening her door. It was getting late and she hoped the others would have gone to bed. Slipping out of her room, she began to wander down the hall looking in other rooms. She knew her parents had been here. This place was the key to understanding what had happened that night.

She came to a large door at the end of the hall and was surprised to find it unlocked. Pushing it open, she slipped inside. The room was quite large and very dark. Various pieces of furniture were scattered around several cots. There were no windows, only a small light in the far corner. She jumped when she heard a moan from the corner of the room.

She took a few steps in the direction of the sound and spotted a figure chained to the wall. Rusty shackles were cutting into his skin and his uniform was torn in many places. She couldn't see his face, but his hair had been savagely cut off leaving a ragged mess. Taking a few more steps, she tripped over a small lantern which clattered to the floor.

"Who's there?" the man gasped.

"Daddy?" Elina called softly before rushing up to him.

"Elina?" he asked in a weak voice.

"I knew Divinia was wrong! I knew you were still alive." Sephiroth gently pushed her away.

"Leave this place, Elina. You're not safe here," he begged.

"I'm not leaving you!"

"You will do as I say. That man is the one who killed your mother. It's all a trap. He has sworn to kill our family. You must leave now!" They both jumped at the sound of voices outside the door. Elina darted behind an overturned wardrobe as the door creaked open.

"You're up. Good. Jupiter is waiting for you," the first guard said as they unlocked the shackles.

"We've got big plans for you, Your Majesty," the second guard cackled.

"In the red room behind the chair, the third block reveals the stair," Sephiroth muttered.

"What's that about?"

"Through the darkness and to the right; passed the case go straight all night," he finished.

"He's crazy. Come on, Jupiter will have our heads if we're late." They dragged Sephiroth out of the room and slammed the door behind them.

"Daddy…" Elina whispered as she sunk to the ground.

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"Sir, she found her father," the watchman said. "Should I release the toxins?"

"Not yet," Jupiter replied as he watched the screens. Jack and Sam were shown on one monitor as they tried to find an escape from their room. The second monitor showed the infirmary where Jane and Lisbon still slept unaware. "I knew she'd find him sooner or later. Let her be, but release the sleeping gas."

"Yes, sir."

"Poor little Princess," Jupiter said to himself. "You should have stayed home. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into now."


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm so sorry for the delay. I had to put my dog to sleep, and I just haven't felt like writing. This chapter may not be the best because of that. I'll be out of town for the weekend, so I probably won't be able to post for several days. The next chapter will be mainly Lisbon/Jane, Jack/Sam and the vampires. Thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers! Y'all truly keep me going!**

Chapter 13

Elina woke up in an unfamiliar room. She tried not to move as she studied her surroundings and was surprised to find that she was not bound in any way. The room appeared to be empty, but the windows were barred and she was positive the door would be locked. Tears sprung to her eyes as thoughts of her father filled her head and she dozed off again.

"_Beware of the planets…and the Silver Star that hides them from all suspicions.."_

"_What does that mean? Pike? Pike!" Elina shouted into the darkness. She found herself standing in the shadows unable to move as Pike appeared and walked toward her. Suddenly he shuddered and burst into flames. She shrieked and covered her head as Divinia appeared in Pike's place_

"_I'm sorry for the pain I caused. I should have known he would attempt something like this."_

"_Who? Who attempted what?" Elina asked as Divinia shook her head and began to walk away. "Divinia, wait!" The vampiress turned and faced Elina before her features molded into Cayt's._

"_Astrology, Genetics…" he said before changing into Pike._

"_I give you my blessing," he said solemnly as he kissed her forehead. "And I promise you when you are in need, we will come to help. Live through the next few days so our paths may cross again."_

"_Pike…"_

"_Remember your father's words," he whispered as he disappeared. _

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"You said you wouldn't hurt her," Alan told his father indignantly.

"I can't help it if the wrong gas was released," Jupiter replied haughtily.

"And what if she dies? We had a deal! I get you the queen, and you would leave the princess alone!"

"But did you get the queen? No. The vampires did that for me. When they are found I want them all killed except for the one who attacked me. I have plans for her. The bitch will pay for what she did to my face."

"She's waking up."

Elina groaned as her vision cleared. Alan was standing over her, and Jupiter and his guards stood a few feet behind him. She tried to sit up, but he gently pushed her back down.

"Don't get up! You hurt yourself pretty badly."

"Huh?"

"You don't remember?" Alan asked surprised. "You tripped and fell down the stairs. You banged your head up pretty good. You probably should stay in bed for the rest of the day."

"Do you have a library?" Elina asked out of the blue as she remembered her dream. He nodded as he gave her a sideways look. Rising, her grabbed her hand and led her down another hall. When they arrived, Elina began to wander around as she studied the various titles. She reached up and pulled down a book titled Astrology.

_Astrology is the study of the positions and aspects of heavenly bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of our world's affairs. We use it to study they course of our twelve planets: Synco, Moieste, Fanell, Jensyc, Moya, Athera, Entil, Zyca, Resdaq, Poilka, Kaelb, and Meche._

Elina stopped reading. This had nothing to do with what she was looking for. Placing the book back on the shelf she spotted another. With a shrug, she pulled down the dusty volume entitled Ancient Astrology.

_Long ago there was a race known as the Homo Sapiens are humans. Their idea of astrology differed from ours in the belief that heavenly bodies only affected human affairs. They also only had nine planets called the Solar System. Only one planet was inhabited, Earth. The other planets were: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. This world was destroyed in the event known as Armageddon._

Elina paused. Weren't the strangers accompanying her from Earth? If that was the case, then this hadn't happened yet. Maybe it was a prophecy, she thought as she continued reading.

_Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and was the largest and most massive. The dark red spot on Jupiter was an endless storm. Many people believed that storm made the planet appear aggressive. These were only rumors, but before Armageddon, Jupiter's orbit and axis became unstable and destroyed the other planets._

It finally dawned on Elina what the vampires had been trying to tell Elina. Jupiter was dangerous and she was in trouble. Quietly, she exited the library leaving Alan alone. She wasn't sure of his role, yet. Once in the hallway, she ran.

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Jack was tempted to smile at the antics of his second in command who sat glaring at the door as if she could will it to open. They had carefully combed over every inch of the room only to discover that they were indeed trapped. He was worried. Their team was separated and he had no idea if Jane and Agent Lisbon knew the danger they were in. He shifted restlessly as he studied Carter.

"I don't think that's going to work," he stated as she focused her attention on him.

"It's better than sitting around doing nothing!" She retorted as she crossed her arms. With a sigh, she lowered her head. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm just worried about them."

"Me too, Carter." A loud rap sounded at the window causing both officers to turn toward the noise. Jack's eyes widened. He had studied that window earlier. It overlooked a large cliff with no handholds in sight. It was a deathtrap, not a means of escape. Both officers quickly made their way to the window where Thread appeared.

"Who are these people?" Jack muttered as he worked to open the window. With a creak, the pane began to rise before it released with a groan. He stuck his head out the window to observe Thread on the roof above, lowering a rope with the help of his brother. Motioning for Sam to go first, he watched as she carefully shimmied her way up the rope with ease. Once on the roof, she turned to look down at him with a smile.

With a grimace, Jack began to squeeze through the narrow window. Oh for crying out loud, he thought as he finally wiggled through. Climbing the rope was a piece of cake compared to getting out of the window. Mmmm, cake. He really could go for some, right about now.

Quietly, the foursome carefully made their way across the roof before pausing at a relatively flat spot. Pike eyed the horizon as Thread seemed to be listening for any unknown sound. After a few minutes, they deemed the coast clear.

"Div and Cayt went to go get Lisbon and Jane. Follow this slope and you'll see a window to your right. That will lead through the kitchen and you'll be able to get to level ground from there. The guard patrols should also be lighter in that vicinity," Thread said.

"Unfortunately, we'll have to leave you hear. We have other tasks to complete. We'll be around if trouble arises," Pike said with a grin.

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Lisbon's eyes fluttered open as she tried to untangle herself from the man wrapped around her. She really, really had to use the bathroom although she would have preferred to spend more time in his warm embrace. It felt right, waking up in his arms. She knew she was trying to rationalize her actions. First off, they were on an alien planet and would remain so for an unknown period of time. Plus, she was hurt and besides, she technically wasn't in a work environment. It was getting harder and harder to deny her feelings and who could blame her?

She was amazed when she was able to slide out of bed without waking the man beside her. She grimaced as the move stretched her painful skin, and she vowed to take the alien equivalent of Advil when she returned. She almost screamed bloody murder when a figure dropped into the room. She managed to catch herself when she recognized Divinia.

"I think I almost wet myself," she grumbled as she gave the vampiress a glare. Divinia gave her a small smile and gestured for her to continue. Silently, she tapped her wrist in the universal symbol meaning to hurry. Lisbon groaned. Something was obviously wrong.

When she returned, Jane was sitting up looking very rumpled as he rubbed his eyes. Cayt was standing near the door while Divinia sat next to Jane. Lisbon marveled at the vampires' remarkable ability to heal as she carefully walked back under Jane's concerned gaze.

Silently, Divinia nodded to Cayt and the vampire carefully scooped Lisbon into his arms. The vampiress nodded at Jane, clearly indicating he should follow as she took up the rear. Lisbon figured the rooms were bugged and settled into the vampire's strong grip as they stealthily made their way down the hall. Turning away from the infirmary, loud voices began to carry through the hallways. They picked up speed through the twists and turns as the voices grew louder. Lisbon locked eyes with Jane. What the hell was happening?


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks to everyone who has been sticking with me through my erratic posting schedule! I've been slightly depressed, and then very busy. On a happy note, my parents got a puppy which has brightened my day. The house was just too quiet without a dog! He's a black and white cocker spaniel named Jack… I wanted to name him Simon! Hah! **

**The biggest thank you ever goes to Innoxa23 and JollyRancher for reviewing the last chapter. I don't think they know how much it means to me to get those reviews! It really keeps me going and Innoxa especially is wonderful at keeping me on track by bringing up unclear points and favorite parts! THANK YOU!!!!!!**

**Y'all enjoy! **

Chapter 14

Jack let out a deep breath as he carefully made his way across the roof. He wasn't scared of heights, but he wasn't fond of being on a strange roof that belonged to a murderer, especially one who seemed to have no qualms about magic and trickery. They were definitely at a disadvantage. Glancing behind him, he watched Carter slowly make her way behind him and he knew that the sooner they could get on the ground the better. Unfortunately, his concern for his second interfered with his ability to balance on the slight slope. He vaguely heard Carter's concerned cry as his head hit the roof and he felt himself beginning to slide. Thoughts of death filtered through his mind before he gripped onto a more humorous thought. That last step was a doozy.

Samantha Carter really wanted to go home. She was tired and grouchy and she wasn't fond of roof climbing. Not that any of this would show through her good little soldier façade. Her CO knew her too well, though. She kept catching him glancing at her. She flashed him a smile, and watched in horror as he took a misstep and landed with a thud. Could this get any worse, she thought. Of course it could, fate answered as Jack began to slide toward the edge. She swore the universe was out to get them as she made a grab for him. Of course this would happen after the vampires left. It was a conspiracy.

"Jack!" she involuntarily cried as the wind whipped around her and his fingers flailed for a handhold. Their eyes were locked as he finally found resistance and stopped his fall. Sam sank to her knees and offered her outstretched hand as he hauled himself into a sitting position on a flatter part of the roof. Their eyes were locked as they both took a moment to breathe. Sam never even realized she was still holding his hand and the Air Force officers stared out over the horizon thankful another tragedy was averted.

"Sir…" Sam started to say before she was cut off by the reassuring look in her CO's eyes as he gave her hand a squeeze.

"I know, Carter. I know."

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Teresa Lisbon softly swore as Cayt carefully lowered her to her feet while they waited in a hidden corridor. Divinia was scouting ahead for the best route out of the castle, and it was determined it would be easier for her to go alone. Cayt pursed his lips, displeased with the arrangement but held his tongue. She wasn't thrilled with being carried around like some useless lump, but she knew that her injuries put the rest of the team in jeopardy. If being carried was the most efficient and safest way out of the castle, then she would deal with it. A faint scent of stew drifted into the air causing her stomach to rumble loudly. Jane shot her an amused look before pulling a candy bar out of his pocket.

"Do you always travel with food?" she asked as the consultant leaned in beside her and unwrapped the crinkly wrapper.

"Of course, now that Rigsby's on the team," he said with a smile. "It never hurts to be prepared!" She grinned at his truthful answer as he handed her the candy. His hand hovered at her side while she moaned in pure bliss. He may have been carrying food for Rigsby, but that didn't change the fact it was her favorite candy bar. Her eyes popped open as his hand lightly brushed her stomach and gently lifted the hem of her shirt.

"What the hell are you doing?" she muttered and tried to pull away. She stiffened when his fingers lightly traced the stitches marring her creamy skin.

"You're going to need to take an antibiotic soon," he said as she gave him an incredulous look.

"Jane, we were practically kidnapped by vampires because the ruler of the castle is a murdering psychopath. Do you really think I remembered to grab any medicine?"

"No, but I did," he said with a grin as he pulled a prescription bottle out of his pocket. She rolled her eyes and dry swallowed a pill.

"You'd think with all this technology that better medicine would have been developed," she grumbled. She hated swallowing pills.

"Maybe it's still the most efficient way to disperse it," Jane innocently added before Cayt turned to glare at them. Footsteps were approaching. Jane stepped protectively in front of Lisbon as Cayt stiffened, ready to attack. Lisbon rolled her eyes. Jane was useless in situations like these. What was he going to do? Hypnotize the intruder into dropping the gun by doing the chicken dance. She sighed and winced as the movement pulled at her sore skin. Cayt suddenly relaxed causing Jane and Lisbon to exchange confused looks. Seconds later, Divinia appeared around the corner looking slightly out of breath.

"They believe we're on the other side of the castle," she said. "The coast is clear for now."

"How exactly did you manage that?" Cayt asked softly as he appeared once more by Lisbon's side. Divinia shot him a look that told him it could wait, while Cayt growled softly. Jane's eyes darted back and forth between the two who promptly ignored him.

In tense silence the group ventured out into the hallway and hastily moved toward another door. Lisbon shifted in the vampire's hold as they broke into a slow jog. She cracked a smile as she caught Jane's eye. The poor man really should start using the CBI gym. She wouldn't deny, however, that she was enjoying the view. He winked at her causing a red flush to spread up her neck and onto her cheeks. Damn her transparency.

"Take the next right, and then a door will be on the left. It will lead out through the kitchen. Carter and O'Neill will meet you in the woods," Divinia said softly as voices were heard in the distance yet again as they paused in an empty corridor.

"Stay with them," she directed Cayt as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Lisbon felt slightly uncomfortable as an unspoken conversation seemed to pass between the two lovers. Finally, Cayt sighed and took the lead. Lisbon watched over his shoulder as the vampiress followed her lover's movements for a moment before turning away.

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Jack watched as his second gracefully swung down from the roof onto a small landing a few feet down. It wasn't a far drop, but he knew his knees would protest. They could see the woods from here, and he was thankful they had experienced a relatively painless trip. He hoped the other vampires were able to get Lisbon and Jane out, but he wasn't too worried. He was quickly learning to trust the young vampiress and her ragtag team. They were good soldiers and it was a relief to have allies in this unknown world. He shook his head to clear his thoughts when he realized Carter had been talking to him.

"I think we'll be able to climb down from that second landing," she stated with a knowing smile. "That should put us at the closest point of intersection with our rendezvous point."

"Sounds good, Carter," he answered as he scanned the edge of the forest below for any sign of danger.

The rest of their trek was made quickly and before he knew it, they were looking down at a five foot drop. Not bad, he thought as he gave Carter an appreciative smile. The two officers quickly made their way across the open field before concealing themselves in the forest just as an exterior door opened. Crouching quietly, they both breathed a sigh of relief when they recognized the three figures hurrying toward them.

"You okay?" Sam asked Lisbon as Cayt gently released the female agent. Jane was quickly at her side. Lisbon nodded, as she turned to look at the vampire behind her. His eyes kept flickering back to the castle.

"Thank you, Cayt. I think will be fine for now," she said with a small smile. The vampire nodded before sprinting back to the door. Jane shifted closer to her so she was able to lean on him. His arm wrapped around her waist as she moved to look at Jack who looked slightly confused.

"Divinia broke off from our group. She was keeping the guards away from us." Jack nodded with understanding as his eyes flickered to the blond haired woman beside him who was absentmindedly studying the trees around them.

"What's next, Colonel?" Jane asked.

"I think we better head back to the castle. Thread and Pike are keeping an eye on Elina, but I think we're going to need reinforcements." The others nodded their agreement as they slowly started through the quiet forest.


	15. Chapter 15

**Wow! I can't believe we're already on Chapter 15. This is the longest thing I've ever written, considering my thesis for college was only like 20 pages. Heh. If only I could have written a story! Much more fun! I hope everyone's still enjoying this epic adventure! I know I am! I like this chapter. It was pretty fun to write. **

**Special thanks to: JOLLYRANCHER, GSRFANATIC, and BOOKYFREAK for reviewing the last chapter! Y'all are awesome! I greatly appreciate the feedback, even if you just tell me that you like it!**

Chapter 15

She tore down the hallway and skidded around the corner as loud voices began to follow her. Elina looked wildly down the straight, long hallway and in an impulsive decision, pushed open the door nearest to her. With a sigh of relief, she leaned against the heavy door as the lock clicked into place. Sinking to the marble floor, she took a moment to analyze her surroundings. As she studied the red color scheme, she decided Jupiter had a very bad interior decorator. Suddenly, her father's words hit her in full force. _In the red room behind the chair, the third block reveals the stair._

Scanning the room, she soon spotted a large armchair-red of course. She took another moment to listen to the voices outside that were steadily getting closer, before she climbed to her feet and quickly walked to the chair. Getting onto her hands and knees she glowered at the tiled wall. Closing her eyes, she reached forward and leaned with all of her weight and was rewarded as a small section of the wall began to fall inward. She whirled around as the doorknob rattled. Taking a deep breath, she stumbled down the dark stairs that were revealed as the block scraped back to its original position leaving Elina in complete darkness.

What was it about old castles and dusty passageways? Elina wondered as she made her way through the darkness. With a muffled thud, she swore when she hit a wall in front of her. _Through the darkness, to the right-Past the case, go straight all night._ The rest of her father's message filtered back to her. With a shrug, she continued to trudge through the darkness thinking about the others who had accompanied her.

She wasn't the stereotypical princess, and to be honest, she really didn't want to assume the throne. It was all a big joke, a game where she was able to amuse herself with the lives and decisions of others. She knew others thought her to be shallow, but she just didn't care for the life she was born into. It wasn't fair. Her parents had often reminded her that it took many actions to make friends, but only one to lose them. She supposed it was true, and she wondered when her friends would turn from her and truly leave her alone.

She envied the lives of the Earth strangers. Their days were full of adventure and it was easy to see the bonds that united them. She felt a little guilty about her attitude towards them at first, but she didn't want to be bothered with the wishes of strangers. Obviously, she would know the better course of action. She was a princess after all, and a native. Her brow furrowed as she wondered what they thought of her. She probably came off as a spoiled brat, and with a sad sigh she knew her parents would be disappointed in her. It was time to grow up. Her carefree days of running through the castle at her own whims were over. They had been over for a long time. She lifted her head as a faint light began to flicker at the end of the passage and she steadied herself for what may be to come.

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"Left, left, left, right, left," Jane's cheerful voice rang out though the dreary forest. Sam glared, while Jack looked positively frustrated. Lisbon just looked pissed. The blond consultant had already sung every verse of _The Ants Go Marching One by One_ and the others were losing their patience. Jane ducked as a pinecone flew towards his head. Turning his head, he flashed his brightest grin at the perpetrator which soon became a look of slight concern.

Lisbon looked absolutely miserable. He knew she wasn't one to complain, but he never fully realized or appreciated her ability to suffer in silence when a mission was at stake. The woman might as well be a soldier. Each step seemed to jar her wound, and her breathing was becoming increasingly shallower. That alone would have slowed him down, but her pace didn't even suffer as beads of sweat trickled down her brow.

"I vote we take a break," he said cheerfully. "My feet are killing me!" Lisbon absentmindedly touched her side while the others traded concerned looks. In agreement, Jane helped Lisbon sit next to Sam while Jack kept watch during their brief interlude. Lisbon was rolling her neck to relieve the built up tension when she felt herself being guided backwards until she was leaning against Jane. She stiffened when she felt his hands come up to her shoulders.

"Good grief, woman! I'm just trying to help," he said with a faint trace of amusement. A light breeze swept through the forest, and she sighed in defeat. She relaxed against him and closed her eyes as she felt the tension slowly dissipate.

"Do things like this really happen often to you?" Jane asked when Sam flashed him an amused look.

"We do tend to find ourselves in trouble more times than most. Our team seems to thrive on Murphy's Law," she said with a grin. "Daniel's even died, although he always seems to find his way back. It's a running joke back on the base that the infirmary should be named for SG1." A serious look passed over her face. "We're lucky though. We always seem to pull through in the end." Her eyes drifted to her CO, a fact Jane took notice of.

"Have you ever regretted living the life you lead? I'm sure it can't be easy," he trailed off as the astrophysicist gave him a pointed look. She knew where he was going with that question.

"We're too valuable to the program," she said with a sad sigh. "They won't allow us to retire, and in fact, they pulled the Colonel back from retirement. There's always another battle to fight, and we're Earth's first defense. It's not fair for me to put my own desires before the planets'." She drifted off for a moment as a smile started to form. "I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. These guys are my family and we've shared some amazing experiences."

They sat in silence as Jane pondered the woman's answers. She was very perceptive, and he was curious about the relationship she shared with the agent now asleep in his arms. He shifted Lisbon so that she was practically cradled in his lap. He was proud of the fact that he had gotten the serious agent to lower her guard around him. He enjoyed the moments when she allowed him to see her true self. Running his fingers through her hair, he turned back to Sam.

"How long have you two known each other?"

"My dad's a general in the Air Force, and he was transferred to a new base after my mom died. My brother and I convinced him to get a house in a neighborhood instead of one on base. We wanted to try something new. Tess and her family were our neighbors. We went to middle and high school together, before we went our separate ways after graduation. We had a lot in common," she said with a sad smile as the unhappy memories flooded her thoughts. Jane nodded as he unintentionally tightened his hold on the woman in his arms.

"I haven't seen her this happy in a long time," she added with a knowing smile as Jane averted his gaze. "You're good for each other." She got up and made her way to the man standing a little ways away. Jane took this time to study the sleeping woman who was becoming to mean more and more to him.

"Wake up, sleepy head," he said as he pressed a soft kiss to her hair. Her eyes fluttered open and she was momentarily disoriented as she tried to ascertain her whereabouts. She wouldn't admit it, but she did feel much better after Jane's impromptu massage. She let him help her to her feet, as the group ventured on in. Jane was strangely silent as he pondered the other woman's words.

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Elina was shocked when she stumbled into a brightly lit room. She had been walking for what felt like hours through the dimly lit passage and it took her eyes a few minutes to adjust to the light. When her vision cleared, she noticed three tables along the back wall. She crept closer to see what was on them. The first held a large book, and Elina carefully opened it and gasped as she quickly flipped through the pages. Every page contained a picture of her mother.

She looked over and gasped at what she saw on the next two tables. Her dad's sword was carefully arranged on the second table. The sharp point gleamed in the light. Her eyes filled with tears when she neared the third table. The monster had cut off her dad's ponytail. She knew then that her father had indeed been murdered.

"I'll kill him for this," she muttered angrily. She heard a faint whisper behind her, but was met with a blow to the head when she tried to turn. She fell to her knees, her vision swimming before she blacked out.

"Elina. Wake up, my dear," a voice whispered as Elina slowly opened her eyes. Her head pounded and when she tried to sit up, she found she couldn't move. Her mouth felt like it was filled with dry cotton.

"You stuck your nose into someone else's business and see what happened? You should remember that old phrase, curiosity killed the cat…" Jupiter said mockingly as he stepped into view with Alan behind him.

"Alan? Alan, help me!"

"No. You should have minded your own business, but instead you had to poke around the castle. If you hadn't found your father, we could have let you leave. But no, not Elina."

"You set me up, you bastard," she cried as she struggled against her bonds.

"So you figured everything out. You should have listened to the vampires, instead of going all high and mighty on your own."

"How could you double cross me like this? We were friends!"

"Family over friends," he said evilly as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Power drain!" Elina screamed as a smoky white light flooded over her, while Alan held on tight, his body convulsing. Jupiter watched silently. Maybe his son wasn't as big of a failure as he thought. The light swirled, before leaving Elina's body and disappearing into Alan's. She went limp.

"Don't take so long next time," Jupiter growled as he turned and left the room. Alan frowned as he watched his father leave before bending down and pressing his lips to Elina's forehead.

"Don't worry, Elina. It will all be over soon. I promise."


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry for the delay! Every time I sat down to write another chapter, I got stuck and ended up working on One Week. In the end, I ended up finishing that one, so I could concentrate on Looking Glass for a bit. I think we're about three quarters of the way through, but I want to knock out a few chapters here before I start a new Mentalist fic! The next chapter's going to be a lot of fun I think!!!**

**A big thank you to SHOPPING-LUVA, JOLLYRANCHER, SEXICINDI, ONLYSOANHOUR, and WILDDAISIES for reviewing the last chapter! I really appreciate your wonderful reviews! And now, I'll shut up!**

Chapter 16

Jack O'Neill relaxed slightly as they neared the castle. Looking back, he assessed the condition of his group. Agent Lisbon was the worst off. Her wound had been infected, but luckily Jane managed to swipe some antibiotics before they left. She hadn't complained once, but he could tell the journey back had taken a toll on her. He was impressed by the petite agent. She was resourceful and could hold her own. Besides, anyone who was able to keep the rather annoying blond man in line deserved a gold star in his book.

Speaking of Patrick Jane, he was hovering by his boss' side. The two seemed to have developed an uncanny ability to know what the other needed, and it reminded him of his own team. He had caught several furtive glances shared between the two and wondered if they were in the same position as himself and Carter. Jack had decided that the former psychic was a lot like himself. People were more likely to underestimate you if you played the annoying, yet childish card. He guessed it was also probably a defense mechanism to keep others from getting too close. It was a defense mechanism that seemed to lesson whenever he was around the brunette.

Carter caught his eye and flashed a smile. She could probably guess what he was thinking. The woman was a genius. He wished things were different, but wishes weren't real life and she was too important to settle with an old man like himself. Wiping sweat from his brow, he scanned the castle grounds as they made their way to the entry way. They were soon greeted by several guards, and Jack asked to be escorted to whoever was in charge.

With the king and queen dead and Elina gone, he wondered who had temporarily assumed the throne. The actions of the last week had thrown the entire kingdom in disarray and he was worried about the stability of safety. He knew they had a chance of being blamed as long as they stuck around, and he was eager to return home. He had a bad feeling about what was to come.

A woman in a long green dress met them inside and gestured for guards to escort Jane and Lisbon to the infirmary. She had long brown hair that was pulled back in a regal twist and her green eyes were lined in black liner. A young man and a young woman stood behind her, and Jack thought he recognized her as Elina's best friend. The older woman approached them with a worried expression.

"My name is Queen Arlia Drithic. I'm Kalina's sister and ruler of a neighboring kingdom. You've already met Lyra Lyrenski and this is my son Drake. I appreciate the time you're spending here. Things are in an uproar."

"Thank you, Your Highness. We're sorry for your loss," Jack said sincerely.

"Please call me, Arlia," she said with a kind smile. "Now, can you tell me anything?"

"I'm afraid we have a problem," Jack said bluntly. "We ended up following Elina and Alec Tanis to the Dark Palace. Apparently, Alec has been here under false premises and his father is actually a magical, murdering psychopath. We managed to escape, but we lost touch with the princess. The vampires stayed to keep watch for her, and we figured we'd return with reinforcements." Arlia frowned as she took in Jack's words.

"Alec's real name is Alan Talisa and his father's name is Jupiter. We're almost positive that Jupiter is responsible for the murders of Kalina and Sephiroth." Sam added. The Queen paled at this news and Jack almost reached out a hand to steady her.

"Are you sure?" she asked, wringing her hands. The officers nodded. "Felric!" the queen shouted as the Captain of the Guards rushed forward. "Double the guards around the castle and have them keep watch for Alec Tanis. I need you to also send a squad of your best soldiers to the Dark Palace. It seems our worst enemy has returned," she said as she exited in haste leaving Jack and Sam staring at each other in confusion.

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Alan stood over Elina's sleeping form holding a syringe in his hand. His father had ordered him to poison the princess. He knew Jupiter was debating on returning her dead or alive to the castle. His father had sworn to kill Elina's entire family and he had almost succeeded. He looked at the sleeping girl once more.

"Elina, I'm so sorry," he said as the syringe clattered to the floor. "I can't believe all the pain I've caused you." Placing his hand on her shoulders, he focused deeply. "POWER RETURN!" A white smoke began to ride around them both causing Alan to cough before it settled onto Elina. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a silver key and unlocked the chains holding her with a loud click.

"You'll be okay now, Elina." He turned and started to head out the door. Opening it, he gasped at the imposing sight of his father.

"I thought I warned you never to disobey me, son." Alan's world went black as he sunk to the ground. His last thought was of Elina's safety.

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Wide eyed, Lisbon watched as the doctor held a strange piece of technology over her wound. A blue light glowed as the edges of her skin joined together without leaving a scar. She prodded the area gently and was amazed to feel no pain.

"Gotta love alien technology," Jane said with a pleased expression as he watched the color return to her face. He was relieved to see her looking so much better. She flashed him a smile as she slid off the bed. After briefing them of the situation, Jack and Sam had left with a group of guards since time was of the essence. Arlia feared the evil man would not hesitate to kill the young princess and then set his sights on the kingdom.

Grabbing backpacks that had been prepared for them, they headed back into the woods. Stomping through the undergrowth, Jane was happy to see Lisbon acting much more like herself as she surveyed the forest around them.

"I was worried about you, you know," Jane said offhandedly.

"That's nice, Jane," Lisbon replied as she continued to walk forward. Lightning flashed, and she pulled her jacket tighter. She stopped when she felt him tug at her wrist.

"I'm serious," he said softly as it started to rain heavier. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." She blinked slowly, as if trying to comprehend the words he'd just spoken when something moved behind Jane. She turned quickly, stepping in front of Jane.

Suddenly a shadowy figure sprung from the trees and landed on top of Jane. He cried out as they rolled around on the forest floor. Pulling out a sword, Lisbon longed for the comfort of her gun. She felt like she was back in the middle ages. Sword Fighting 101 wasn't exactly a popular course at the CBI. She felt rather helpless as she watched the men tussle. She couldn't risk hitting Jane who seemed to be surviving on pure dumb luck.

"I'm not about to lose such an easy meal," the stranger growled showing off his fangs when Lisbon nicked him with the sword. Turning back to Jane he began to crush the man's windpipe as Lisbon tried to fight him off.

"Raef, stop!" Cayt suddenly leaped from the shadows and crashed into the other vampire, pulling him off of Jane. Lisbon ran to the consultant's side as he began to cough. Not knowing what to do, they watched in horror as Raef shoved Cayt away violently. Cayt growled as he launched himself at Raef and got in a few punches.

"Get out of here," Cayt yelled to them as they began to back away. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, Raef threw Cayt into a tree and lunged after them. Sliding through the mud, they managed to avoid the other vampire as they ran blindly through the forest.

After a few minutes of running, they stopped to catch their breath or rather Jane stopped to catch his breath while Lisbon eyed the forest warily. She really didn't want to run into any more surprises. Deciding the coast was clear, she turned back to Jane with a concerned look as she studied the bruises on his neck. With a deep breath she pulled Jane to her in a crushing hug.

"I was so scared," she admitted as she breathed in his scent. Listening to his heartbeat she assured herself that he was indeed okay, as he pulled back and looked into her eyes. Searching her face, he made a snap decision and captured her lips with his own in a passionate kiss. Breathless, she looked at him bewildered. He smiled at her flushed expression.

"I really wanted to do that before it was too late," he said sheepishly as she gaped at him. Tilting her head to the side, she punched him in the side. He mouth dropped open. Had he misread her?

"That's for scaring me," she said with a slight frown. Almost immediately, she pulled him back to her and pressed her lips against his. Tugging at his lower lip, he moaned and she deepened the kiss. Breathing heavily, she broke away and grinned at his flustered appearance.

"And that's for surviving," she said with a smirk.


	17. Chapter 17

**So this ended up being not as much Jane/Lisbon as I wanted, but it was needed to move the plot along! We're in the homestretch, so the next few chapters may be more plot oriented before we get back to the little moments! I'll try to keep it balanced between all the characters! I'm estimating that they're will be 5-7 more chapters before it ends. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! SHOPPING-LUVA, WILDDAISIES, SEXICINDI and CELINA!!! I loved hearing your remarks! They were helpful as always!!!**

Chapter 17

Elina was still sleeping when the guards loudly entered her cell. She could feel the draft as the cold air swept through the room and she curled up instinctively. With a rude smile, the first guard shook her awake. Opening her eyes in confusion she searched for Alan as she backed away. The guard grabbed her and began to drag her out of the room.

"Come on, princess," he said in a sickly sweet voice as Elina tried to bite him. "It's time to die." She fought him tooth and nail, but the burly guard still managed to get her to the Execution Platform with little injury. The Execution Platform was a strange part of the Dark Palace. Large columns held up a horseshoe shaped platform that seemed to disappear into endless darkness. A large guillotine stood ominously in the center.

"No! Let me go!" she said as she tried to pull away. More guards instantly surrounded her and dragged her to the guillotine and its restraints as she dug in her heels. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Alan enter the room and enter into a heated argument with his father. The guards ignored her and exited while she continued her useless struggle. She glanced around wildly when she felt something small hit her head. Looking up into the shadows she saw someone sitting on a large column. The girl smiled reassuringly at Elina as she tucked her purple streaked hair behind her ear.

"Divinia?" Elina whispered as the vampiress nodded in response. Gesturing to her side, Elina spotted Pike and Thread. The vampires silently jumped down into the shadows and a few minutes later, three new guards appeared, their faces obscured by their cloaks. Quietly they arranged themselves in a triangle around Elina as the executioner stepped forward.

"Anyone with any last words or actions, please speak now," the man said in an eerie voice. Jupiter nodded to him and he dropped the blade. Elina closed her eyes and fainted, while the others turned away. A scratchy metallic sound suddenly filled the air as the blade, now sliced in two, lay on the floor.

"No!" Jupiter growled as he looked around angrily. Two of his guards were holding slingshots. Dropping their disguise, Divinia and Thread smirked back at him. Another guard laughed and revealed himself to be Pike.

"You…" Jupiter glared as he locked onto Divinia. "You have no business here."

"I believe this is my fight. You've messed with a friend. Those of my clan protect their friends," she said as she took down another guard with her loaded slingshot. Jupiter turned to Pike.

"What about you? Any threats you'd like to make?" he asked sarcastically.

"Not really. I would appreciate it if you could return my scythe though." Alan's eyes widened as he noticed the long staffed scythe near the guillotine.

"You sliced the blade in half with your scythe?" he asked in amazement.

"Pretty much," the vampire replied.

"And you two knocked the blade off course by releasing stones?"

"You've got a smart son, rat. Don't waste his brain," Divinia said with a dry laugh.

Outraged, Jupiter grabbed the scythe and threw it at the calm vampire. Pike stood still as the deadly instrument flew toward him. In an instant, he reached out and grabbed the weapon by the staff. He nodded his thanks to Jupiter.

"Now," Divinia said icily. "Elina is coming with us."

"Never," Jupiter hissed.

Divinia, Pike, and Thread stood absolutely still and bowed their heads. A moment later, they raised them in unison and opened their eyes. Alan backed away. Their eyes were glowing white. Three beams of light encircled them before striking Elina's still form. The lights became foggy and swirled around the room, blocking Elina and the vampires from sight. Five minutes later, the lights disappeared and the four were gone.

"I want them found!" Jupiter screeched as he stormed around. "This is nothing but an illusionary trick. I know they're still in this palace. I want the princess and the vampiress alive! I don't care about the others." The guards rushed off quickly as Jupiter turned on his son. "If I find out you had anything to do with this, you will suffer Elina's fate. Trust me, it's a promise!"

"What makes you think I had anything to do with this?" Alan pushed back.

"I know how attached to her you are," Jupiter seethed as he spun out of the room.

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Meanwhile, Jack and Sam had regrouped outside of the castle. They had been ambushed along the way, and the majority of the guards that had been ahead of them had been massacred. Jack scratched his head as he watched his second faithfully check everyone for a pulse, but no survivors were found.

"This is getting rather old," he muttered to no one in particular. At least this time they were armed, but unfortunately the weapons were rather primitive. Apparently no one needed advanced guns or other weaponry when they had magic. A branch snapped to his left and he looked off into the distance as he motioned quietly for Carter. He was relieved when he saw Jane and Lisbon pushing through the undergrowth from the west.

"You sure took the long route," he called as Lisbon frowned in response.

"We ran into a little trouble," she said evenly as she hovered near her friend. Sam watched the pair with interest as they approached. A faint smile started to spread across her face when she noticed their touches lingered a little longer than they had previously.

"I was almost vampire food," Jane said with a grimace. It was Jack's turn to frown.

"One of Divinia's?"

"Maybe," Lisbon honestly replied. "Cayt came to our rescue, but advised us to run while they fought. We're not sure what happened." The four jumped when Divinia, Thread, and Pike appeared out of nowhere with an unconscious Elina.

"Speak of the devil," Jack muttered. Sam turned to glare at her CO.

"Now that's a cool trick," Jane replied off handedly as Divinia let out a breath.

"Everyone okay?" Jack asked as he surveyed the group. Nobody was missing a limb which was always a plus in his book.

"For now," Pike responded with a concerned look towards Elina.

"We just had to stop an execution," Divinia replied tiredly as she leaned against a tree. Jane appraised the young woman before exchanging a look with Lisbon.

"Tell Cayt thank you," he told her seriously. Divinia looked momentarily confused as she tilted her head to the side. "We were attacked by a vampire named Raef," Jane added cautiously as he watched her face narrow in anger. She turned to Pike and Thread who were avoiding her gaze.

"Did you two know about this," she asked with a fiery look. Taking their silence for an answer, she exploded in anger. "That would explain why Cayt is in bed right now. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Divinia, you weren't there," Thread started but was cut off by the enraged vampiress.

"Did I need to be?"

"I guess. It's been settled and we didn't need Raef any angrier. You know he has one heck of a temper," Pike jumped in to his brother's defense.

"And I don't?"

"This is why we didn't tell you," Thread muttered under his breath. The three vampires were silent as the others stared uneasily at each other. The tension was broken when Elina started to stir. Sitting up, she looked around confused.

"Are you okay," Jane piped up from the back of the crowd. Elina nodded as she remembered the previous events and gave Divinia a thankful smile.

"I have to go back," she said softly. "I have a score to settle." Divinia sighed as she looked around the group. Jane glanced towards Lisbon, understanding the young woman's need to end the madness that was plaguing her life. They knew they were in it till it was over.


	18. Chapter 18

**Yay! Another quick update! There's a lot that happens in this chapter, and I really enjoyed writing it. I hope y'all like it to! A big thank you to CELINA who caught an inconsistency in the last chapter that I will fix soon: If you were wondering why Jupiter and Alan stood idly by during the light show, they were temporarily blinded by the lights. I think I accidently deleted that part… Ooops! This chapter puts the story over 30,000 words... holy crap!!!!  
**

**I'd also like to thank JOLLYRANCHER, SEXICINDI, CELINA, ONLYSOANHOUR, SUPPING-LUVA, and WILDDAISIES whose reviews for the previous chapter made my day. Thanks bunches! Now, on with the show!**

Chapter 18

Jane peered around the doorway before tiptoeing into the hallway as Lisbon watched in amusement. She shook her head at his exaggerated quietness and remembered why she didn't like him following her in dangerous situations. The man had an uncanny ability to get shot. Breaking her gaze from Jane, she glanced around the open corridor and wondered why she hadn't seen any guards. It figured that since they were finally armed all the danger would fade away.

They had decided to split up upon reentering the castle. Nothing quite said 'Intruder Alert' like a large group trying to sneak through enemy territory, especially if said group included Patrick Jane. As she gripped the cold metal of her sword, she vaguely wondered if it had been a good idea to give Jane a weapon. Granted, it was only a small dagger, but who knew what kind of trouble he could get into with that.

She was jarred out of her thoughts by the sound of approaching footsteps and angry voices. Grabbing Jane's shirt, she pulled him into the next room she found. The man was definitely a damn magnet for trouble. She was also quite surprised at the number of unlocked doors. Apparently these people didn't believe in locks. Oh well. It made her job much easier.

"Why Lisbon, I never knew you were interested in supply closet sex. You should have just asked," he said as he waggled his eyebrows. With a glare that silenced him, she took a look at the mops and cleaning supplies. She rolled her eyes, and hoped whoever was outside would pass by quickly. She _really_ didn't want to be stuck with Jane in such a small place for long- it was a danger to all rational decisions. Case in point, she thought as Jane lightly trailed his lips over her neck and shoulder.

Enduring his torture for a few minutes, she was relieved when she reopened the door to find the hallway empty. She motioned for Jane to follow her as she tried to quiet her inappropriate thoughts. She glanced back to Jane who had a knowing grin on his face. She narrowed her eyes and silently laughed when his grin disappeared. Reaching a large ornate door, she readied herself as she carefully pushed it open. Well, this answered her earlier question about the guards she thought in dismay.

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Colonel Jack O'Neil hefted the sword as visions from the movie _Braveheart_ ran through his head. After SG1's first few missions, he learned the value of being able to fight with other weapons and had convinced Teal'c to help him with sword fighting. The others had been amused at the sight of the burly Jaffa teaching the Colonel to fight like Peter Pan, but he carried Teal's words of wisdom to this day: It was all about the footwork.

Samantha Carter threw her head back and broke the nose of the man who had come up behind her and immediately whirled around as she felt skin being ripped from her arm. Crying out, she drop kicked the second guard that had attacked with a whip. The whip seemed to be Jupiter's weapon of choice she mused as she felt blood drip from the lashes. She threw another punch, and rolled out of the way as a sword dropped toward her. She gritted her teeth as the pain radiated up her injured arm and she felt her CO's glance on her. She gave him a reassuring nod as she spotted Tess and Jane sneak through a side door. The women locked eyes and Sam nodded her acknowledgement as she wondered where the princess had wandered off to.

She heard a muffled cry of pain and she turned her head to see that Tess had rejoined the fight after stashing Jane somewhere. She may not be trained for war, but the agent could handle her own in a fight. A bright ball of energy flew past her before crashing into the surrounding column sending them tumbling to the ground. A few of Jupiter's own guards had been caught in the wreckage and Sam grimaced at the carnage around her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jupiter stand and direct his hand in a different direction.

"Jack!" she managed to cry out as a fireball flew towards the Colonel who was unable to get out of the way. His head jerked up when he heard Sam cry out his name and his eyes widened and the fire that was hurtling toward him. Sam began to move, but she knew she wouldn't get to him in time. Suddenly a white burst of energy met the fireball and it exploded on impact before reaching O'Neill. She breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Elina pick her way through the room, her gaze resting on Jupiter. At least neither side had an advantage now.

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"Jupiter," Elina hissed as she stopped in the center of the room as the guards withdrew.. "I've come to avenge my parents' death. You are their murderer, so it is you that I will punish."

"Such strong words, little princess, but I have a secret to share. You're not the princess you think you are. Don't worry, I have a surprise for you that will explain everything," he said with a smirk. He raised his hand, but was quickly stopped by Alan.

"Wait!"

"Yes, son?" Jupiter said with disdain.

"You said that all you wanted was the queen. You said nothing of murdering her, kidnapping the king, murdering him, and then killing the princess. This isn't the plan!" He took a step towards Elina.

"The plan changed," Jupiter growled. "Besides, she's not the princess."

"Elina, my dear, your mother was a whore. I'm sure you've noticed that you bear no resemblance to Sephiroth." Elina's fists clenched as she stared at the man in front of her. The room was silent, as the others took in the new information.

"You're lying," she said savagely. Jupiter smiled a cryptic smile.

"I learned a lot from the king before he died. Elina, I'd like to introduce you to the _true_ heir to the throne and Kalina and Sephiroth's _only_ daughter." With a smile, he snapped his fingers and Divinia appeared at his feet in chains. Her eyes glittered as she struggled against the restraints.

"She's a clever little thing," he said as Divinia growled from behind her gag. "Let me give you more proof." He snapped his fingers again, and the vampiress disappeared then reappeared in a glass container that was just large enough for her to stretch her hands out and touch each side now that the restraints had disappeared. She looked around warily before water began to fill the small chamber.

The others watched in silence as the water washed away the black and purple dye from her hair leaving it silver. She was the spitting image of Kalina with Sephiroth's hair and Elina wondered why she hadn't seen it before. Divinia's eyes widened as the water continued to rise, leaving her with little room to breath.

"Stop this!" Elina cried as she watched her half-sister search the chamber for a means to escape. She took a breath and went under, searching for a weak spot. Jupiter just smiled as he watched Divinia's fruitless attempts to escape.

"Jane!" Lisbon hissed as the blond haired man walked out and approached Jupiter.

"I understand they killed your sister, but is that any reason to destroy them all? After meeting you, I'm sure it was in self-defense," he said calmly as the evil man eyed him.

"Who are you again?" Jupiter asked as he studied the man in front of him. Elina took the momentary distraction to run over to the chamber as Divinia took one last gulp of air before the water completely filled the chamber.

"You can call me Jane," he said with his trademark smile leaving Jupiter baffled as he studied the other intruders.

"Huh," he said before turning his hand and releasing two balls of energy toward Elina. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion after that.

"No!" Alan cried as he slammed into Elina knocking her out of the way. The first energy ball hit him directly while the second crashed into the chamber which began to splinter. Lisbon was closest and she kicked the weakened glass causing it to shatter as it released the water within. She carefully pulled Divinia out while the young woman gulped in several breaths.

"Alan!" Elina cried out.

"Must you always get in the way?" Jupiter growled as his son weakly tried to sit up. You're a disgrace! You've been an utter disgrace since the day you were born." Jupiter ranted.

"Love you too, dad," Alan whispered weakly while Elina cradled his head in her lap.

"How can you not care that he's dying?" Elina asked. "He's your son!"

"Must you remind me?" Jupiter replied indifferently as Alan drew his last breath. Elina quickly wiped her eyes before standing. The others stood their ground, unsure of what to do as they watched Elina and Jupiter square off. Their swords were useless against the powerful magic the others possessed.

As if to prove their thoughts true, Jupiter stared to fling more energy balls around the room causing more columns to fall. Jack pulled Lisbon out of the way as a column came crashing down. With an intense look of concentration, Divinia created another energy field to cover the others from the destruction of Jupiter and Elina's fight.

They could only watch as Elina began to murmur strange words under her breath. Her soft words gradually became a loud chant as the room began to shake. Multiple colored lights flashed around the room as Jupiter began to back away. Most of his guards had been crushed by falling debris and those that had survived were running for their lives.

Divinia stepped forward and lifted her hand. Jupiter found himself unable to move as a strong wind began to blow through the room. The ground below him started to shake, and his eyes widened in fear of the women in front of him. The wind picked him up and tossed him into the wall where he sunk to the ground in a heap. He lifted his head weakly.

"Wait! Don't do this, please!" he shouted. The ground below him opened up and he disappeared in a fiery glow. His screams rang out as the rift closed above him. There was silence as Elina sunk to her knees, exhausted. Divinia stood by her and dropped the shield protecting the others allowing them to see the extent of the damage.

"Is he gone?" Lisbon asked softly as she came up behind the vampiress.

"Yes," Divinia answered as she kept an eye on her sister. "Yes."


	19. Chapter 19

**I think this whole chapter ended up being Lisbon/Jane fluff so I hope y'all enjoy! I wasn't sure about it, but it fits and I do enjoy it. They're almost home though, and it'll be fun to have both teams back together again! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed the last chapter. Another big thanks goes to CELINA who's been finding inconsistencies for me! She wins! Anywho, y'all enjoy!**

Chapter 19

Patrick Jane glanced around the campfire while they waited for the vampires to return. Pike and Thread had offered to hunt in hopes of providing a more substantial dinner for the weary group. Cayt had returned with them and had yet to let Divinia out of his sight while she sat in silence with a pensive look across her face. They had exited the castle quickly; unsure of the soundness of the structure and the possibility of additional guards surprising them. A group decision was made to walk for several miles before camping for the night.

Standing, he flashed Lisbon a reassuring smile as she turned from her conversation with Sam to check on him as he walked over to the vampiress and sat beside her. Her silver hair that was now pulled into a messy ponytail sparkled in the moonlight when she turned her head to smile at him. He returned her smile as he studied the young woman. Sadness lingered about her, but she put on a carefree attitude for the others. Looking into eyes that were wise beyond their years, he sat down beside her and stared at the fire.

"You were young when it happened," he said. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes," she answered abruptly. "I was four. We were playing in a field and I pushed Elina out of the way. I don't know what the cover story was when I disappeared. I never asked." She stared into the darkness as memories overcame her before she turned to Elina who just looked lost.

"They _were_ your parents. They raised you, loved you, and accepted you. No one at Heaven's Gate knows. It doesn't have to change." Elina focused her gaze on her sister as she contemplated her words.

"What about you?" she asked slowly.

"I'll survive," Divinia answered with a wry grin. "That's your life. This is mine, but I'll be there when you need me. Besides, you know they wouldn't accept me. I'm a monster after all," she said with a dark laugh. "Think of how well that would go over in your royal courts." Elina smiled for the first time in several days.

"Do they know?" Jane asked as his eyes flickered to the vampires who were roasting a strange animal over the fire for the others.

"Just Cayt," she answered. Her eyes locked with the blond vampire across the clearing and she smiled. "Go eat," she added and waved them away. Jane paused before he turned back to the vampiress.

"Will you be okay?"

"Yes dad," she said with a warm yet teasing smile. "I'll eat later. Believe me, you don't want to see that." He narrowed his eyes and she stared right back, neither backing down.

"That's not what I meant."

"I know," she said seriously. He gave her hand a squeeze before rejoining the others. Sneaking up behind Lisbon, he leaned forward stealthily.

"I know you're there, Jane," she said with an amused tone as he pouted. He swore she had eyes in the back of her head. She turned to him with a grin. "I did raise my brothers, you know. I've got that special sixth sense moms get."

"Party pooper," he replied as he wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled when she relaxed into him.

"How are they?" she asked quietly and leaned her head against him.

"They'll get through it, but it won't change anything for them." He paused and Lisbon raised her head to look him in the eye. "She called me dad," he said softly. Knowing who he was talking about, Lisbon tightened her arm around him.

"Well you have hovered around her since the day we met them. She seems to enjoy being around you as well, especially with those magic tricks," Lisbon added with a smirk.

"You're just jealous," he laughed before his mood became serious again. "If my daughter had lived, I think she would have been a lot like her, you know?" Wrapping her other arm around him, Lisbon pulled him into a tight hug. They stood in silence and just enjoyed each other's warmth. Jane's stomach rumbled loudly causing her to chuckle softly.

"We probably should go eat," she said with a warm look.

After they finished dinner, everyone broke off into smaller groups as they got ready for bed. It was almost pitch black and the dying fire cast shadows on the trees around them. Jane wandered a little further down the path and stared at the stars above. A faint rustling behind him startled and he wondered if it had been a good idea to wander off alone.

"Jane?" Lisbon whispered.

"Over here," he replied and was greeted with a moment's silence.

"It's dark, Jane. I don't know where here is," she said bluntly.

"Marco!" He called out. He heard Lisbon sigh in defeat.

"Polo," she returned in a resigned voice.

"Marco."

"Polo."

"Marco! Whmph. Hey, Lisbon," he said when he felt her small body run into his as they stumbled backwards. They stood there and stared at the stars. He could see the faint outline of her face in the moonlight, and he leaned forward to lightly press his lips to hers in a sweet kiss.

"What was that for?" she asked. He could picture the blush spreading across her face.

"For surviving," he replied, tossing her own words back at her.

"Come on Jane. Let's go to bed," she paused as she thought about her words. Not giving him a chance to jump in she quickly added, "I didn't mean it like that."

"Sure Lisbon, sure," he teased as he led her back towards the dying fire.

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Samantha Carter sighed happily as she snuggled deeper into the man behind her. When that thought registered, she opened her eyes to see the amused face of her CO peering down at her.

"Sorry, sir," she muttered and made a move to pull away.

"S'ok, Carter. It's a little chilly out tonight. Just relax," he slowly wrapped his arm across her and waited for her to pull away. He was pleasantly surprised when she melted into him and placed her hand on top of his. Mumbling something unintelligible she drifted back to sleep and Jack wished for the night to last forever.

When the sun finally rose, Jack managed to untangle himself from his second before standing and stretching. He took a moment to observe her while she slept, and he couldn't stop the soft smile that began to form. Bending down he pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

"I love you, Carter," he whispered to his still sleeping second before wandering off to check on the others. Her eyes flickered open as he walked away, and she smiled. Someday they'd be able to say those words aloud with no excuse of alien influence or threat of court martial.

Everyone rose rather quickly with the sun shining, and it was apparent they were restless to return to the castle. It was also apparent that the vampires were nowhere to be found. Another roasted animal was left over the fire, but it was sensed that Divinia had already left. The vampiress wasn't one for goodbyes.

When Jane woke up, he rolled over to find a small bird figurine carved out of wood with a tiny piece of parchment attached to it. Unrolling it, his eyes watered when he read the tiny message.

"_Thanks, Dad."_

He wished he could have said goodbye._  
_


	20. Chapter 20

**Here we go with chapter 20! I'm still amazed at how long this story is. I think it's the longest thing I've ever written in my entire life! Heh! I'm warning you, y'all made need a tissue for this chapter. It makes me sniffle!**

Chapter 20

The reunion was bittersweet when they finally arrived back at the castle. Arlia rushed out to greet them with many people in tow. They engulfed Elina, relieved to see her alive and safe. The events of the past week had taken their toll on her and she looked exhausted. Shooing the well wishers away, she gestured for Jack and the others to follow her into the castle as she led Elina up the steps.

After receiving a hot breakfast, the four of them had been shown to rooms were they could sleep and freshen up before the coronation ceremony the day. Elina had asked that they stay one more night before they returned home. After questioning them about the device that sent them, Arlia knew immediately what they were talking about. She had several servants searching for its identical partner that had been placed into storage many years ago.

Lisbon had taken the offer to heart and had immediately fallen asleep on the soft bed as soon as she sat down. Jane smiled softly as he busied himself by removing her shoes and jacket before curling up beside her. They slept for several hours before a knock on the door startled Jane out of slumber. He wasn't very surprised to see Jack and Sam on the other side.

"We're going to rustle up some grub, and thought you might like to join us," Jack said with a relaxed smile. Jane beamed back and opened the door a little wider.

"Let me just rouse Sleeping Beauty and we'll be right there." Jack and Sam exchanged a quick look as Jane shut the door. Tiptoeing up to the bed, he was about to pounce on Lisbon when she opened her eyes.

"Don't you dare, Jane. I heard everything, so just give me a minute," she said crossly as she blinked a few times. Jane pouted at his foiled plans as he watched her get ready. A few moments later, they headed out the door.

"I don't know how we're going to explain this to my boss," Lisbon said with a groan as they walked down several flights of stairs.

"I guess you can't really say you were transported by an alien device to another planet," Jack said with a smile. "It might look a little funny in your file." Jane snickered as he imagined Minelli's reaction to that line. Lisbon stopped dead in her tracks when another realization hit her like a brick wall.

"I don't know how I'm going to tell him about us," she said as she stared at Jane wide eyed. "It was a total breach of protocol," she said with a groan.

"Maybe General Hammond can help you with that one since you can't say you were under alien influence," Jack added helpfully while Sam blushed. Lisbon made a note to corner her friend and find out just what was behind that particular excuse.

"I hate to break up this informative conversation, but does anyone know where we're going?" Jane asked as he looked down the maze of hallways ahead.

"Too bad Rigsby's not here. He could always sniff out food," Lisbon muttered when the group paused. Elina conveniently appeared from another hallway and gave them a strange look before she smiled.

"Looking for the dining hall?" she asked with a pleasant smile that showed had happy she was to be back home.

"That we are," Jane answered as she led them through a doorway. "So are we supposed to curtsey and address you as Your Highness now," he said with a smirk. Elina groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Please don't! Just call me Elina. After all, I owe you a great deal," she said sincerely as they reached the dining hall. Jane tilted his head and was quiet for a minute.

"Will you keep in contact with Divinia and her Clan?" he asked.

"Of course," Elina replied. "I really wish she'd let me do something for her." Elina's face paled as she trailed off in mid-thought. She looked into Jane's eyes and he saw a trace of fear.

"What is it?" he asked. By now the others had realized something wasn't quite right and they came closer to the princess and the consultant.

"Cayt gave his word my parents would be safe," she whispered. The others exchanged slightly confused looks.

"What does that mean exactly?" Lisbon asked quietly.

"They're going to kill him for breaking his word," she said as she flew out of the room with Jane on her heels. Lisbon wasn't that far behind as they skidded into another room causing Arlia to look up in surprise.

"I need to call a meeting," she exclaimed.

"Whatever for?" Arlia asked her niece.

"It may be the only way to save an innocent life. I need an urgent message sent to Divinia's Clan. They all must come, including Divinia herself!"

"Lisbon and I know where they're camped at," Jane spoke up as Elina quickly turned to him with a signed piece of paper.

"You can go on horseback. It'll be quicker," she said in a rush as they ran out the door. "I hope we're not too late."

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Thread took a shaky breath before he poked his head into Divinia's tent and he almost lost his composure when he saw his friends. They were sprawled on her sleeping pallet and Divinia was sobbing softly as she burrowed her head into the crook of his arm. She held on to his shirt as he whispered softly too her, his arms wrapped around her tightly. Thread hated to disturb them, but the Elders were getting restless.

"It's time," he said softly. "The Elders are waiting," he added as he silently backed out of the tent.

"I don't think I can do this," she said hoarsely as he stroked her hair.

"You have to, love. The others need you."

"But I need you," she whispered as she pulled him to her with urgent intensity. Their lips met in a bruising and passionate kiss as they both tried to convey a lifetime of love to each other. She clung to him as he gently pulled away. She didn't bother to hide her tears when they exited her tent. He followed her to the center of the camp where several figures in black robes stood near a stone table that had been erected that morning. Cayt shuddered as the Elders eyed him with disapproval as they forced him onto the large stone.

"You have broken your word, and so you must die with disgrace," one of the Elders thundered. "It is the duty of your Clan Leader to banish you from this plane of existence." Divinia was pushed forward and the vampiress practically dragged her heels to avoid the scene in front of her. Cayt's heart was breaking for her, but he knew she'd survive this. She had to or his death would be even more pointless.

"I love you," she whispered as their eyes locked. She started to sway on her feet, and she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"I'll always love you, Divinia Serit," he said softly as she raised her sword above him. "Always and forever."

"Stop!!!" Jane shouted as he galloped into the clearing. He was shocked at the scene he was witnessing. Lisbon pulled out the official letter and handed it to the Elders who were frowning.

"By order of the Queen, Divinia, Cayt, Thread, Pike and the rest of the Clan are ordered to report to Heaven's Gate. The Queen requests an urgent meeting," Lisbon stated while Jane caught his breath. He looked up and his eyes met Divinia's. He watched horrified as the sword clattered to the ground and she fell to her knees. Cayt closed his eyes at the pure emotional intensity that filled the camp before he scooped her into his arms and refused to let go.


	21. Chapter 21

**Sorry for the posting delay! This chapter didn't go at all like I expected and I had to rethink a lot of it, because Celina wouldn't let me take the easy way out and let everything magically be all better! Heee! I think it does make it a better story though! Sadly, there's not a lot of Jane/Lisbon in this chapter, but I'll make up for it in the next one! Jane and Lisbon plus royal party equals amazingness! **

**I'll be out of town for the weekend, so I won't be able to write more until Monday…. This makes me sad! Here's something that might amuse y'all. I dressed up like a cow today to get free food. I love Chick-fil-A!**

**A big thank you to CELINA, WILDDAISIES, JOLLYRANCHER, SHOPPING-LUVA, and INNOXA! (Welcome back, Innoxa! I've missed you!) All of y'all have been super fabulous with your reviews and encouragement! **

Chapter 21

The return trip to the castle was full of silent tension. The Elders were furious that the Dreamers were involving themselves in vampire affairs. They were reluctant to acquiesce, but technically they were part of the Dreamer kingdom. They demanded to be a part of this so-called meeting and Jane and Lisbon were in no position to deny them. Treating him as a prisoner, they demanded Cayt's hands be bound.

"What is the purpose of this? We've complied with everything you have asked," Divinia hissed as the blond vampire was shoved roughly to the ground. You have no right to-" A loud slap echoed causing the rest of the clan to look up in anger as the Elder backhanded her across the face. Divinia sent them a warning look before lifting her eyes to meet the Elder's gaze.

"You would do well to remember your place," the figure reprimanded before brushing her aside. "You're in a precarious situation as it is," he coldly tossed over his shoulder and roughly pulled Cayt to his feet. Cayt shot Thread an urgent look and the other vampire gave an imperceptible nod as he made his way over to the Clan Leader who was still frozen in place. After a few whispered words, she allowed him to lead her to the rest of the group before heading off.

Jane looked over at Lisbon who was nibbling on her bottom lip as they followed the vampires back to the castle. It had been difficult to stand by and watch the situation play out, but they both knew they couldn't interfere especially without knowing the ramifications. Jane clenched his fists as the vampiress took a hard blow to the face. Standing her ground, Jane silently cheered when she stood her ground. He wished he could hear what was being said.

Lisbon was amazed that Jane wasn't interfering and she knew that his curiosity and urge to interfere had risen drastically since they had arrived. She took a deep breath as she thought back to the catastrophe that had been diverted. Apparently, there was a lot more to vampire customs that no one knew, and she was horrified by the primitive and violent nature of it. It seemed they still lived when it was acceptable to take an eye for an eye, no matter how innocent.

Urging her horse to speed up, she looked over to Jane who was studiously watching the Clan Leader. Divinia had an eerie calm about her as she walked vacantly through the forest. It was a similar stance Lisbon had seen mirrored in Jane after the latest Red John case, and that worried her. She'd seen what that case did to Jane and she wondered how the vampiress would handle it.

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Divinia was worried. Pulling her long hair back, she quickly braided it while she walked. She had streaked the silver with purple in an attempt to hide the similarities between herself and the royal family. Lost in thought, she could feel Thread by her side but she refused to acknowledge anyone. She didn't know what to expect at the castle. For all she knew, maybe the kingdom had demanded to bear witness to the execution. She didn't know if she could handle that.

As the group came to a halt, she was surprised to find herself already at the castle gates. A cold feeling of dread wrapped around her and settled in the bottom of her stomach as the doors were opened and they were ushered in. She concentrated on the sound of boots hitting the marble floor to enhance her false sense of calmness. She kept her head held high as whispers and scathing looks greeted them until they finally arrived at the throne room.

Elina sat in the center of the room with Arlia at her side. Several people she didn't recognize occupied a long table that was off to the side. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jane and Lisbon edge around the corner of the room to sit by Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter. She took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind to present a strong front. It wouldn't be appropriate to fall apart now.

"We are here at your request, Your Highness," she said with an even tone as she kneeled before Elina and Arlia. Her voice did not hint at the hopelessness she felt. The rest of the vampires followed suit.

"There is no need for that. You're a friend, and friends call me Elina," she answered as she studied the group in front of her. She was surprised to see the Elders. Most customs of vampire life were secret and the Elders were rarely seen. Her eyes wandered until she spotted Cayt. He looked relatively unharmed, but his hands were tied. He looked tired and his mouth was drawn in a tight expression. Although her sister seemed to exude a calm authority, her eyes betrayed her painful inner turmoil and there was a slight edge to her expressions.

"Forgive us, Your Highness," one of the Elders spoke. "But what is the point of this. You have no authority in our system."

"Actually, we do," Arlia said with a hint of disgust. "The last treaty gives us some leeway in your customs in exchange for the opportunity to leave on our land. We haven't interfered before, but we feel this situation warrants our attention."

"It wasn't a fair fight. They were outnumbered 20 to 6 and were at a disadvantage. My parents did not elaborate on the situation, and so there was no reason to assume there would be any foul play. I drop any charges against him," Elina said angrily.

"That's all nice and well, but a vampire's word is an important thing. The trust it establishes must not be tainted. Someone must be punished," another Elder added.

"Then punish me!" Divinia exclaimed as she whirled around. "You've never cared about the individuals or the circumstances around the situation. It's all political, so why not find the biggest scapegoat for this witch hunt and be done with it."

"You're out of line!" an Elder said as he stepped threateningly closer. "You know the rules."

"The rules are outdated!" Divinia was breathing heavily from her rant while the others stared at her in shock. "This whole fiasco was my fault. The contract was made for selfish reasons and in doing so, I was negligent in my duties."

"Divinia…," Cayt growled softly.

"Fine! You will be stripped of your position," the Elder roared. Elina cleared her throat, hoping to break up the escalating fight that threatened to explode any minute.

"What if we grant them royal immunity?" Elina asked.

"We have no basis for that," Arlia answered with a frown. Elina locked eyes with Divinia and the vampiress shrugged.

"Actually, we do," Elina said with a sigh as she thought about the possible consequences for both of them.

"Please elaborate, Elina. I'd love to put an end to this messy situation," Arlia said with a baffled expression.

"She's my sister." She almost laughed at the stunned silence that greeted her as everyone turned to stare at Divinia. Arlia gasped.

"Why didn't I see it before?" she whispered. "She looks just like Kalina when she was younger."

Whispers filled the room, and Divinia almost felt like she was an exhibit at the zoo. The Elders broke off and whispered amongst themselves. Cayt had a small smile on his face as he quietly came up beside her, while the others in her clan were staring at her with wide eyes.

"Should we call you princess, now?" Pike asked with a teasing smirk that caused her to groan. Hopefully, this would help them and not blow up in their faces. The lead Elder stepped forward and cleared his throat after shooting Divinia a nasty look.

"I believe we can work out an arrangement," he said before turning to Divinia and Cayt. "You will be stripped of your position. We forbid both of you contact with your clan or any other clan for a period of 50 years starting in one day's time. You will effectively be banished from our society during that time. That is our final offer." Elina started to open her mouth, but was quickly silenced by a look from Arlia as Divinia nodded.

"We understand," she stated as the Elders walked out in a huff. The tension started to dissipate as a collective breath was expelled in relief.

"Talk about a tough crowd," Jack whispered as the Elders stormed out.

Jane released the breath he didn't know he had been holding when he watched Divinia's eyes light up when Thread pulled out a small knife and cut through Cayt's restraints. The vampire rubbed his raw wrists as Divinia practically leaped into his arms, kissing him soundly. Jane smiled at the first real public display of affection he'd seen from the couple as they held each other tight. Sliding down from him, she turned to the rest of the clan with a sad expression.

"I'm –" she started when Thread cut her off.

"Don't say you're sorry," he said with a grin. "You've taken enough of the blame today."

"We'll be okay," Pike added. "It's _only_ 50 years. I'm sure we'll find something to keep us busy," he said as he pulled her into a hug. "You did the right thing," he whispered in her ear. Elina let the vampires have a moment before she walked down and was practically tackled by Divinia.

"Thank you, little sister," Divinia whispered.

"It's not like I don't owe you a few thousand things for all you've done for me," Elina added with a grin. "You're both welcome to stay here, you know."

"We'll definitely think about it," she said as she glanced over to where Cayt was standing with Thread and Pike as if she still expected him to disappear any second.

"I do want you two and Pike and Thread to stay till tomorrow. We shall have quite the party!" Divinia rolled her eyes at her sister's laugh. Turning she searched the crowd until her eyes met Jane's and she smiled.

"I think now I need to sleep before I collapse," she said as Cayt wrapped an arm around her. Elina just laughed as she led them off.


	22. Chapter 22

**I'm back! I had a nice relaxing weekend at the lake, and to make up for my delay in posting-here's an extra long fluffy chapter for y'all. I think it's the longest chapter yet and it's full of cute moments for all our favorite couples! (mainly Jane/Lisbon and Div/Cayt- I don't really want to take Jack and Sam's relationship any further) I foresee only 3 chapters after this one. Sad day! I'm going on vacation next week, so I'm going to try and finish it this week! YAY! Y'all enjoy!**

Chapter 22

The first thing Divinia noticed when she opened her eyes the next morning was that the room was a disaster. Various articles of clothing had been thrown haphazardly as soon as the lock clicked in place. She was grateful the servants had provided a spare change of clothes the day before especially since she vaguely remembered her shirt ripping at some point. With her head still on Cayt's bare chest, she took a moment to listen to his rhythmic breathing before slowly untangling her limbs from his. Softly padding to the bathroom, she turned on the shower and waited for the water to heat up.

She let out a soft sigh as the water began to cascade down her skin. Hot water was a luxury and she was determined to enjoy it for as long as she could. Grabbing a dollop of shampoo, she slowly began to work the citrusy gel into her hair. Drawing a ragged breath, she tried to control herself as emotions from the past week threatened to overwhelm her. Although she wouldn't admit it out loud, she was worried about the future. Her life was in such disarray and she wondered what would be expected of her now that her identity was partially revealed.

Lost in thought, she didn't even notice the sound of the fluttering shower curtain and she practically jumped when she felt Cayt's hands start to massage her scalp. She let her hands fall to her side as she closed her eyes and leaned against him. He softly laughed at her blissful expression before pressing a faint kiss to her shoulder. After gently rinsing her hair, he started to rub conditioner into her long silver locks. The scent was intoxicating.

"Stop thinking so hard," he said as her brow began to furrow in annoyance. She cracked one eye open as she turned her head and studied the man behind her.

"I know you're not happy with my decision," she replied.

"Damn it, Divinia. I'm not worth you throwing your life away. You should have kept quiet!" he said softly as he closed his eyes. He didn't want her to regret her choice. She'd given up a lot and he knew he didn't deserve her.

"It's purely selfish, but I'd do anything to keep you with me. I've lost too much. I can't lose you too," she whispered as she raised a hand to caress his cheek. "_You're_ my life, and I'll never regret that." Cayt studied her with a blinding intensity before pulling her close.

"You have no idea how much I need you," he said as his fingers stroked her bare skin. Divinia shivered and pulled back to look him in the eye.

"Are we really having this conversation in the shower?" she asked with a lighthearted grin as she ran her hands across his chest.

"Yeah, well you started it," he teased as he pulled her mouth to his. Neither noticed the water had gone cold.

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Jane glanced down at the petite brunette that had curled around him in her sleep. Lisbon meant what she said when she told him that he was going to be her pillow that first night, and he was surprised she wasn't embarrassed by it. He let his gaze drift unabashedly over her lithe body before returning to her face. Crap. She was awake and staring back at him with an amused smirk. His eyes darted around as he tried to cover up his flustered expression. She let out a husky laugh and he was grateful she had untangled herself from him. He wasn't sure how long his self-control would last.

"We're going home tomorrow," she said with a grin as she stretched. He smiled at her happy expression. Her grin faltered for a minute and Jane touched her arm lightly.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's just that I'm going to miss this," she said with a shy smile. "It's been nice having someone to wake up to." Embarrassed, she looked away and started to stand as she straightened her pajamas. Jane grabbed her hand and pulled her beside him.

"It doesn't have to stop," he said softly. "This is the best I slept since… well, since Red John. Besides, I meant what I said earlier. I do care about you. I care a lot, and I don't want to lose whatever we've found just because we're returning to Earth." She stared at him speechless.

"Do you realize how crazy that sounded?" she asked with a grin as she intertwined their fingers. "I'm still not sure what I'm going to tell Minelli, but we'll deal with that when the time comes," she added. Jane raised their joined hands and kissed her fingers softly.

"Thank you," he said softly. She blushed slightly and stood up when a knock sounded at the door. With a shrug, Jane watched as she stepped out of the room for a moment.

He tried to pin down the voices he heard outside, but soon gave up and thanked the Lord that he was being given a second chance with Lisbon. He didn't want to waste another moment of his life after what he had seen in the vampire camp. Lisbon reentered the room with a scowl and started to dig through the clothes that had been left for them. Jane stared at her curiously from his spot on the bed.

"Apparently this party is supposed to be pretty formal. Sam, Divinia, and I are going to need dresses," she called out as she stepped into the bathroom.

"I'm sure whatever the three of you find, you'll all look gorgeous," he answered. He could hear her snort.

"Can it, Jane" she replied. He grinned. He was glad their possible relationship wouldn't have any affect on their playful banter. "Don't forget, you'll need a tux," she exclaimed happily. Jane groaned.

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Samantha Carter was laughing harder than she had in a very long time. Tess shot her a comical look and Divinia just smiled an innocent smile as they sat in the suite Divinia had been given in the castle. The three women were surrounded by shopping bags and were currently lounging around. They had a little bit of time before they needed to get ready, and they found they were enjoying each other's company.

She enjoyed wandering around the kingdom and it had been fun to see Divinia's expressions as she took in all the sights and sounds. The vampiress had never been in town, let alone been dress shopping and Sam was amused to see Teresa's maternal streak emerge. It was nice to be sitting down now though. Her feet were killing her, and she still had to wear heels tonight.

"I wonder how the guys are doing?" Divinia brought up which sent Tess into another bout of laughter as she recalled the vampiress' earlier comment about Thank-God-We're-Still-Alive-Sex being even better than Make-Up-Sex. Sam just groaned and shook her head.

"I almost wish we were there to see it. That has to be amusing!" Sam said as she stood up. "Well, I need to take a shower. I'll see you two later tonight," she said with a smile.

"Thank you for your help today," Divinia said as she turned toward Lisbon. "I don't think I could have managed without you." Lisbon laughed as the vampiress grimaced.

"It was the most fun I've had in a long time," the CBI agent replied as she collected her bags. "It's going to be an interesting night," she said as she exited and left the vampiress alone with her thoughts.

An hour and a half later, Sam stepped into her dress and zipped it up. Studying herself in the mirror, she applied a few last minute touches to her makeup when she heard a knock at her door.

"Sir!" she said as she gestured for him to enter her room. "I'm almost ready."

"Let's keep it Jack and Sam tonight," the colonel said with a smile as he admired the floor length turquoise strapless dress his major had on. "How was your day?" he said with a smile as Sam caught his eye and grinned.

"We had a really good time," she exclaimed. "The whole situation just sounded like a joke." Jack chuckled.

"An astrophysicist, a vampiress, and a CBI agent go into a dress shop," he started. "Yup. Definitely has the making for a good joke." Sam rolled her eyes and let her CO escort her out the door. They quickly met up with Lisbon who looked stunning in her green one shoulder floor length gown and Jane who looked quite dashing in his tux. Cayt met them as well and explained that Divinia would meet them after she talked to Elina.

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The coronation ceremony was a private affair that was followed by the public celebration. Divinia sighed as she watched her sister repeat her vows and was relieved that their revelation in front of Arlia had no bearing on Elina's future as Queen. She was surprised by clapping and she realized that the official ceremony was over. Standing, she greeted her sister with a smile.

"Your Highness," she said in a teasing tone. Her eyes twinkled as Elina groaned under her breath.

"Now I have to go greet several thousand people," she exaggerated as they made their way down the hallway. "At least you get to have fun." Divinia raised an eyebrow and stepped to the side as the large door was flung open.

"They would be proud of you," she said softly as Elina started to move forward. The Queen turned with a smile.

"Thanks, Div," she said as she quickly wiped her eyes and entered the room.

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Jane glanced around the packed room as he escorted Lisbon towards the buffet line. His eyes trailed along the back of the dress and he tried not to stare at the amount of bare skin that was revealed. Lisbon turned her head and shot him a glare. He watched Jack lead Sam to the drink table and he smiled at the comfort he observed between the two Air Force officers.

"Rigsby would be in heaven," Lisbon muttered as they neared the fruit platter. It was amazing how similar the planet's food was to Earth's. With full plates, they returned to the table Jack and Sam had chosen when trumpets sounded and directed everyone's attention to the door.

Elina walked through and Jane detected a slight hint of exasperation on the young queen's face as she prepared to greet several high ranking members in her kingdom. Divinia left her side and Jane turned to see Cayt's stunned expression as she headed over to them. She looked quite breathtaking in her backless black halter dress. Her long hair was pulled up into a sophisticated chignon. Her eyes sparkled as Cayt walked over to her and whispered something in her ear before kissing her softly on the cheek. Sitting at the table, her eyes swept over the others.

"Well you guys clean up nicely," she said with a smile.

The evening passed quickly and everyone was surprised to find themselves enjoying the party with their new friends. Elina soon joined them and they showered her with well-wishes as she sat down and took a break.

"We'd love to work out an alliance between our planets," Sam spoke up. "I'm sure we could work out trading and I know for a fact our colleague Daniel would love to come back to learn about the different cultures and lifestyles."

"I can just see Space Monkey now," Jack said. "Think of all the trouble he could get into." Sam glared at her CO and the others grinned.

"I'd like that," Elina said with a smile. "We can discuss it before you leave tomorrow. Your people will always be friends of ours." Rising, she apologized that she had to continue to make rounds. The others waved her away and continued to talk.

"May I have this dance?" Jane asked Lisbon with a bright smile. Opening her mouth, she shut it quickly when she failed to think of a quick retort. With a sigh, she accepted his outstretched hand as he led her to the floor.

They swayed together for a few songs and Lisbon gradually began to relax into his arms. Jane inhaled the scent of perfume and sighed as he spun her around. She giggled uncharacteristically as the music grew more boisterous.

"I'm actually a little sad we have to leave," Jane said as he pulled Lisbon closer for a slow song.

"I know what you mean," Lisbon started. "I'm glad we'll at least be able to tell Cho, Rigsby, and Van Pelt what happened. They'll be mad they missed all the excitement!" They danced a little longer before Lisbon pulled away.

"Okay Fred Astaire. My feet are killing me, so I think it's time to get going." They said their goodbyes and watched as Cayt danced with Divinia. The two vampires were in their own world and Lisbon was glad things were working out for them. Exiting the party, Lisbon gasped when Jane suddenly scooped her up.

"Put me down!" she growled as she struggled in his arms.

"You said your feet hurt," Jane said with a smirk and refused to let go of her. With a sigh, she crossed her arms and pouted until Jane finally released her. Lifting her chin, he pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.

"Do you need help getting out of that dress?" he asked as he waggled his eyebrows at her. She laughed out loud and playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"You're incorrigible!" she said as she entered their room with a grin.


	23. Chapter 23

**Finally! It's been an interesting two weeks, but I'm finally back from vacation. I got a new laptop for my birthday which made me oh so happy! It's so much easier to write on and all the keys work! YAY! Thank you to everyone who has been so patient while waiting for this chapter! I'm hoping to write the last 2 chapters tomorrow so it will be finished by July 30th! I may just write one long chapter. We'll see! **

**A special thank you to HAZMAT T a new reader who took the time to review every single chapter! WOW! **

**I'm behind, but I hope to respond to everyone's reviews from the last chapter soon! I had over 100 e-mails when I returned and it's taken me a bit to make it through them all! Much love to everyone!!!!**

Chapter 23

"You know if I was a piece of toast I would feel extremely threatened," Jane said with a smirk as he watched the woman in front of him wave around a butter knife. Lisbon glared at him as she set down her utensil. Across the table, Divinia and Cayt were trying different foods with amusing reactions. They were used to diets of raw meat and the typical breakfast menu was filled with unusual products. He smiled as he watched the vampiress warily eye a spoonful of scrambled eggs.

"Good morning," Sam said with a pleasant smile as she entered the room with Jack close behind her. Both officers plopped into their chairs as various plates were passed in their direction. The sounds of silverware scrapping plates intermingled with light conversation as the group enjoyed their last meal together.

"What's the first thing you're going to do when you get back?" Divinia asked with a grin.

"It will most likely involve a trip to the infirmary and a mission debrief," Sam said as Jack rolled his eyes.

"You're no fun, Carter! I'm going to relax in my recliner, pop open a beer, and catch up on all the Simpson's episodes I've missed."

"Simpsons?" Cayt asked with a slightly confused expression.

"Very inappropriate little yellow people," Jack began. "The often make politically incorrect statements and to be honest, they're just plain funny." Sam sighed as she shot her CO an amused glance.

"Fine. I'll probably take my motorcycle out for a spin." She was tempted to stick her tongue out at the man beside her, but decided it might be a little childish.

"I have to figure out a really good excuse for why my team's been in Colorado for the past week," Lisbon said with a sigh. Jane's hand brushed against hers under the table and she visibly relaxed.

"I'm going to take a nice long nap," Jane said with a broad grin as Lisbon shook her head.

"Of course you will," she retorted. "What about you two?" Divinia and Cayt exchanged looks before shrugging.

"We'll probably stay here for a bit. Some of the laws concerning vampires are really outdated, but no one's made an effort to update them," she said seriously. "After that, we're not really sure. I don't really want to spend the next fifty years involved in politics."

"Come with us," Jane said suddenly. He looked around at the group to find the others staring at him with a mixture of surprise and agreement.

"Your society isn't too different from ours. You could be a big help to us," Sam added with a thoughtful expression. She turned to Jack. "I mean part of SG1's alien and I'm sure we could accommodate your condition." Jack nodded as they turned back to the surprised vampires.

"We have to finish what we've started here, but we'll definitely think seriously about it," Cayt said with a smile.

"We could learn a lot from each other," Divinia started as she bit her lower lip. "I know Elina is serious about establishing trade negotiations with your planet so we wouldn't have a problem keeping in contact. Thanks for the offer."

"We're just about ready for you," Arlia said as she stuck her head in the doorway. Her gaze swept over the room before she exited with a small smile. The others thanked her and Jack and Sam followed the other Queen out of the room. Jane turned and faced the vampiress who had come up behind him.

"Thank you for everything," Divinia whispered as Jane pulled her into a tight hug. Jane closed his eyes and refused to lose his composure in front of this young woman. Taking a deep breath he tightened his grip before pulling back and studying her face.

"Take care of her," Divinia added as her eyes flickered to the brunette standing behind Jane. "You complement each other. Let her help you." He nodded and a small smile crossed his face.

"Be sure to take your own advice," Jane replied with a teasing tone. "No more recklessness."

"Yes, dad," she said as she flashed a lopsided grin. Lisbon smiled as she watched Jane and Divinia interact. She could tell he had been a wonderful father, and she was glad he seemed to have regained a little of his personal confidence during this adventure. He seemed more at ease with the idea of moving on, and she was grateful for it.

"Jane?" Lisbon called out softly as Cayt came up beside Divinia. Jane sighed and ran his fingers through his hair as Divinia turned towards her. Reaching into her pocket, the vampiress pulled out a small black chord that had a tiny carved cross on the dangling stone.

"I wanted to thank you for all your help," The vampiress started. "Cayt noticed your necklace and thought this might be a nice addition as a bracelet."

"It's beautiful," Lisbon gasped as she rolled the carved rock between her fingers. "Thank you!" The vampiress smiled shyly and looked at her feet.

"You two better get going," she said with a grin.

"You're not coming to see us off?" Jane asked with a frown.

"I'm no good with goodbyes," Divinia muttered. "They make me feel like I'm losing more." Lisbon nodded and squeezed the young woman's shoulder.

"We'll see you two later then," the agent said as they exited the room leaving the two vampires behind.

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Jane stared at the metal cube on the table. It was identical to the one he had picked up in Sam's lab. Who knew that one little object could have changed his life so drastically. He felt more at peace with himself and the decisions he had recently made than he had in a long time. He felt Lisbon brush up against him and he realized the others were wishing them goodbye. Sam and Jack were setting up some sort of return schedule with the possibility of bringing a Stargate to the planet for easier transportation. Drowning out their voices he gripped Lisbon's small hand in his. She turned to look up at him, surprised at the sudden display of affection and smiled.

"We'll be okay. I'm sure we'll be allowed to keep in touch," she said softly as she squeezed his hand reassuringly. He was a little surprised when she continued to hold his hand, and before he knew it Jack and Sam were staring at them. He had missed the end of the conversation and flashed a pleasant smile to Arlia and Elina.

"How does this work exactly? Do we have to think happy thoughts?" he said with a smirk. Jack stifled a laugh which turned into a cough.

"We should all be touching when you pick up the cube. It should send us right back to the other cube," Sam said.

"But I got us in the mess to begin with," Jane exclaimed as he warily stared at the alien artifact.

"Exactly!" Sam replied.

"I can't believe you actually took responsibility for this," Lisbon muttered under her breath with a smirk. Jane shot her a playful look and took a deep breath as he reached for the artifact.

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Grace Van Pelt stared at Rigsby who was shoveling food into his mouth like he had been held hostage for a month. Shaking her head, she turned to the man on her other side who was immersed in a book.

"Do you think Daniel's any closer to figuring this out?" she asked. Cho looked up and studied the stereotypical scene in front of him. Rolling his eyes he shrugged.

"He seems to think they'll be able to come back on their own. The cube seems to have a failsafe that won't transport anyone else, and he assured us that this is pretty standard for SG1."

"I'm just worried about them," the red head muttered as she looked down at her full plate.

"Me too," Cho said with a sigh. "Look at how much trouble Jane gets into on earth. Who would want to unleash that on another planet?" Grace laughed until she notice Daniel running into the commissary. The archeologist skidded in front of their table, barely able to form a coherent sentence and flailing his hands wildly.

Exchanging looks, the three CBI agents got to their feet and followed the frazzled man into the briefing room where the cube sat glowing. With a wary eye, they stared at the alien object as it appeared to glow brighter. General Hammond pushed open the doors, his eyes resting on Daniel.

"Dr. Jackson, what is the meaning of this?" he asked as he took in the scene in front of him.

"I have no idea. It lit up a few minutes ago, and I think it may be trying to tell us something," he said excitedly. The room suddenly filled with a bright light causing its inhabitants to look away when several loud thumps were heard.

"Oh for crying out loud," a voice called out as the room returned to its normal lighting conditions revealing a two Air Force officers, a CBI Special Agent, and her consultant on the floor in a pile. Cho hid his smile as he took in the dazed expressions of the four in front of him. This was going to be an interesting debriefing.


	24. Chapter 24

**And now I present the FINAL chapter. I toyed with the idea of drawing it out a little more, but I'm pleased with where I'm ending it. I'm considering adding an epilogue, but for all purposes this story will be considered completed.**

**First off, I'd like to thank everyone who gave this crossover a chance. I've had several amazing reviewers who have stuck with me and kept encouraging me. Your reviews helped me complete this monster every word meant more than you could imagine. This story is dedicated to those people: INNOXIA23, CELINA, WILD DAISIES, SHOPPING-LUVA91, JELLOFANATIC123, JOLLYRANCHER543321, HAZMATT, MWALTER, SEXICINDI, ONLYSOANHOUR, HOUSECALLS, CHARLIEBLUE, CHOCOLATEFAN, KATHIANN, and JOCELYNMC. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!**

**I am planning to revise this story in the future and fix all mistakes and inconsistencies. Another big thank you goes to Innoxia and Celina for helping me find them! I'm sad this journey's over, although I did leave it open enough for a second story to take place! I've lived in this world for the past two months, and I'm planning to start a new Mentalist fic this weekend! Keep an eye out for it! I love all of y'all and thanks for everything! Enjoy!!!!**

Chapter 24

"So you're telling me that you managed to save an alien planet from an evil dictator, befriend a group of vampires, and establish trade negotiations with the ruling group in less than a week?" General Hammond said as he looked around the table. He hid a smile as he analyzed the appearance of the four people who had been unceremoniously dumped on the floor of the briefing room an hour earlier.

"Well technically three weeks past while we were on the planet, but that's it in a nutshell," Jack said with a pleased expression. Looking across the table he was greeted with the blank stares of Agents Van Pelt, Cho, and Rigsby. Daniel and Teal'c just looked like Daniel and Teal'c although they both seemed to find the CBI agents amusing.

"Your progress is most pleasing, O'Neill," Teal'c stated. Daniel nodded his head enthusiastically causing his glasses to slip down his nose.

"The whole situation's amazing. I mean to actually observe vampiric society and hierarchy as well as the social customs of the royal family and the species that live on the planet…"

"Easy there, Spacemonkey," Jack said as he flashed his 2IC a smile. Sam grinned as she caught Lisbon's eye. "You'll be able to go and ask all the questions you'd like." Daniel looked down sheepishly.

"Are you guys okay?" Grace asked as she studied her boss. Something was different about Lisbon and Jane, and she wondered if the others saw it too. There was a closeness about the two of them that wasn't there before. Their furtive looks lingered longer than usual and all four of the newly returned group kept sharing bemused glances that spoke of inside jokes.

"Just peachy," Jane said with a grin that didn't quite meet his eyes. He seemed to deflate slightly as soon as the vampire topic was brought up. A frantic thought crossed Grace's mind.

"You weren't bitten were you?" she asked a little hesitantly. Lisbon laughed heartily and the others looked at her in surprise. Their boss rarely allowed herself to loosen up in front of others. What exactly had happened on that planet.

"No need to worry," Jane added as he shared a look with Lisbon. Grace sighed and turned to Cho who just shrugged in response.

"If that's all, then you're dismissed," General Hammond stated. "Agent Lisbon, I'd like to speak to you for a moment." The others filed out of the room and promised to meet her by the commissary later. With a smile, she turned to the base commander.

"What can I do for you, General?" she asked.

"I've spoken to your boss, but seeing how he doesn't have clearance I won't be able to give him the full story of why your team was needed. I'm sure he'll understand the importance of classified material, and so your absence shouldn't be a problem."

"Thank you, sir," she replied feeling a little more at ease about the return to California.

"I've also put in a request for your team to spend several weeks with us out of every year. I'd like to have a bureau team on board with the necessary security clearance if we should ever need you again. You and Mr. Jane played a vital role in our new alliance with the Dreamer planet and Colonel O'Neill has brought to my attention the friendships the two of you have made on the planet."

"We'd like to keep in touch, if possible and would be honored to help out the SGC in any future endeavors," Lisbon answered diplomatically. Hammond smiled. It was easy to see why Virgil Minelli kept a tight hold of the senior agent. She definitely had the potential to go places. With a smile, he offered his hand.

After a quick handshake she found herself wandering down the corridors of the base until she found herself in front of the quarters she'd been assigned. Glancing at her watch, she decided she had time for a quick nap before meeting the others. Opening the door, she groaned when several pieces of paper rained down on her. Flipping on a light, she closed her eyes and counted to ten. She was covered in glitter and hundreds of paper snowflakes were strewn about her room. Some things would never change, she decided.

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"Why you're sure looking shiny today Lisbon," Jane said with a blinding smile as he took in the presence of a very annoyed Teresa Lisbon. "It's a good look for you."

"Shut it, Jane," she snapped while the others looked on in amusement. "Do you know how hard it is to get glitter out of anything? And just how did you get into my room to begin with?" She pointed a finger at him and turned to see Jack O'Neill with a smirk gracing his features. Lisbon's eyes narrowed and she caught Sam's eye.

"You will both pay for this," she stated firmly before walking off with her old friend.

"I'd be a little worried if I were you," Daniel said with a slightly wary tone. "Sam can pull almost any prank you'd never imagine and she never gets caught." Jack and Jane exchanged a look.

"Maybe I should apologize," Jane said before striding off with Jack in the direction Lisbon and Sam had taken moments before. The others shook their heads at the childish antics of the senior staff.

The rest of the day was uneventful although it amused Cho and Rigsby to no end to watch Jane constantly looking over his shoulder. He seemed to get more nervous whenever Lisbon entered the room, but she'd just smile sweetly before carrying on with her business as she booked their return flights home.

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Lisbon raised her beer as she smiled at the people surrounding her. Jack had invited both teams to his house for a cookout before the CBI agents left the next morning. The atmosphere was pleasant as everyone enjoyed the company and relaxation the dinner provided.

"It sure is great to see you guys," Lisbon said with a smile as she nodded to her team. "You'll have to join us for a return journey." Van Pelt perked up at that tidbit.

"We're coming back, boss?" Cho asked.

"We've been requested to spend a few weeks to keep our security clearance up to date in case they need us later. Plus, Jane and I requested to keep in touch with Divinia and Cayt." Her features lightened as she remembered the events of the last few weeks.

"Jane seems a little more relaxed," Rigsby added as he watched the man try to get a smile out of Teal'c. The effect was quite comical as the alien stared at the consultant with a raised eyebrow.

"The vampires helped him a lot," Lisbon started as her eyes flickered to the blond haired man. "We'll have to tell you the whole story some time. It was quite an adventure." She was quiet for a few moments as she watched her friends. Jane suddenly appeared by her side a pressed a discrete kiss to her cheek. She shot him a glare when she looked up to see her team exchanging knowing glances.

"Is there something you'd like to share with us, boss?" Cho asked with a small smile flickering across his normally stoic features. It was good to see her happy, he thought as he watched her blush slightly. She laughed and rolled her eyes while Jane just beamed. Cho grinned. Rigsby owed him a hundred bucks.

Jack was standing near the grill while Daniel stared at him with a grin. Jack looked up and glared at his friend while he flipped the burgers over.

"I never would have thought we'd have become friends," the Colonel stated out of the blue as Carter walked up beside him.

"Tess called you a bastard when you first met, didn't she?" Sam said with a grin as they laughed. "It's hard to believe we were only gone for a week." she added.

"It was definitely an interesting experience," Jack replied as he piled the burgers on a clean plate. After everyone had fixed their plates, he raised his beer. "To new friends."

"To new friends," they all replied. The rest of the night was filled with good company, great food, and lots of alcohol until Lisbon found herself alone on the deck with Jane. Staring up at the stars, she leaned against the man behind her. Wrapping his arms around her, he rested his chin on her head.

"It's so weird to think that we were up there," she said softly. "I never dreamed anything like this would happen to me."

"Neither did I," Jane responded and Lisbon got the feeling his was talking about more than their alien adventure. Relaxing into his warmth, she sighed happily as they continued to stare at the stars above.

They stood there, unmoving as time passed without notice. Breathing in the comforting scent of Lisbon's citrus shampoo Jane smiled. For the first time in a very long time he felt at peace with himself and the world. Silently, he thanked the vampiress for the second chance she had unknowingly given him and he promised himself they would meet again.

_The End._


End file.
